An Enduring Fate
by BuffyAnne
Summary: They say life is a series of starts and stops. For Will and Rachel that couldn't be more true. Will/Rachel, Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** An Enduring Fate  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Pairings/Characters:** Will/Rachel  
**Spoilers:** Through A Very Glee Christmas  
**Disclaimer:** All things _Glee_ belong to Ryan Murphy and Fox. I'm just borrowing them.  
**Summary****:** _Life is a series of starts and stops._  
**A/N:** My first multi-chapter_ Glee _story. Please let me know what you think and if it is worth continuing. :) And thank you to my beta Joleigh13!

This starts immediately after the Christmas episode and doesn't take into account the second half of this season.

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_**Chapter 1**_

Will watched as his students and Sue walked down the hallway outside his apartment. He was happier than he had felt in a long time and so touched that his students would come out to his apartment on Christmas Eve. He sighed, content, as he closed the door and walked back to the living room where he knew she would be waiting.

Rachel had pulled him aside earlier, asking if she could stay after everyone else left to talk to him about something. He was hesitant at first, knowing it wouldn't look right, but the sadness in her eyes compelled him to agree to her request. She clearly needed to talk to someone.

When he rounded the corner, Rachel's back was turned towards him. She was struggling to hang an ornament near the top of the tree. He watched in amusement for a moment before he moved behind her, taking the ornament and placing it in the open spot she was aiming for.

"Maybe you should stick to the bottom half of the tree," he joked.

"Ha ha, Mr. Schuester." Rachel replied, clearly not amused.

They both hung the last few ornaments in silence until Rachel finally broke it. "Thanks for allowing me to stay behind. The truth is I just wasn't ready to be alone yet."

She didn't look at him as she spoke and Will didn't say anything at first. He continued fidgeting with the tree, while thinking about how much they had in common. He knew she was going through a rough time and things with Finn were not good. He remembered his words to Shelby several months earlier about how Rachel was fragile. It was still so true but he had become so wrapped up in the problems in his life that he hadn't seen just how much this thing with Finn affected her. He used to pay more attention to Rachel. He would watch for the teasing and the taunting and the boys that would inevitably hurt her. He used to be there for her, even if just to find a way to talk to her between classes or after rehearsals. But lately, he was just as much to blame for her sadness as Finn and Santana were.

He watched her rearrange some of the ornaments before he responded, "I'm sorry about what happened a couple of weeks ago."

"It's okay," she whispered with a shake of her head. He hadn't been specific but she knew what he was referring to.

Will placed a hand on her arm, willing her to look at him, to let him apologize.

"No, it's not," he insisted, "I never should have yelled at you like that and especially not in front of the group. I know you have been having a hard time lately."

"It's okay. I was being difficult. I realize that," she replied, focusing on an ornament in front of her.

"But still, I should not have taken my frustrations out on you like that."

She looked at him, finally. "It's okay Mr. Schue. Please, can we just forget it?" she smiled up at him, letting him see that she was truly willing to forgive and forget.

He looked at her for a moment before returning the smile. "Okay, we'll forget it."

"Thank you."

"Would you like anything to drink, Rachel?" Will asked, knowing she really did need to talk but not sure how to begin the conversation.

"Water would be good." She smiled.

"Okay. I'll be right back." Will went to the kitchen as Rachel placed the last ornament on the tree. She moved to sit on the couch, admiring their work. When Will returned with water for both of them, he sat next to her, keeping several inches between them.

"How is everything, Rachel?" he asked as he handed her the glass of water.

She hesitated, taking a sip, and trying to think of how to explain everything that was going on with her. "I don't know," she sighed. Will remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

After several moments, Rachel took a breath and finally put a voice to everything she had been keeping inside. "I messed up with Finn. I mean he lied to me, several times actually, and I don't think he really understood how much that hurt me, but what I did _was_ worse. And there is really no way to fix it. And the more I think about it, the more I don't know if I want to fix it. I mean, I don't really think I deserve a list of reasons why someone wouldn't want to be with me when he says he loves me. And then there is Santana and Quinn. They are constantly tormenting me, especially Santana, and I just can't deal with it anymore. I never did anything to them. Well, I told Finn about Quinn's baby not being his, but most of the time I've tried to make them feel included in Glee. I mean Finn and I even threw the duets competition. And then there's Shelby but I don't know…"

Will was taken aback by everything Rachel was saying. He knew that she was going through a tough time. He knew that was why she had been lashing out. But he didn't realize everything she was going through. He had a vague idea of what had happened with Finn. And yes, he had heard Santana and Quinn's attitude towards her in Glee, but he didn't realize how much it bothered her. The only thing that didn't surprise him was the duets competition. Though no one else recognized it, he knew what she and Finn were doing, especially after they were the only ones in the class who didn't vote for themselves. And he knew that it was Rachel's idea.

However, there was one thing that stood out in her rambling, and Will found himself interrupting her to find out more. "Your mom? What happened?"

She looked up at him with shock. Out of everything she expected him to brush off the mention of her mother. "Well, nothing new really happened."

"But?" Will gently prod.

"But it's hard. One day she tells me that she doesn't want to be my mother and a couple weeks later she's adopting Quinn's daughter. I mean, I don't understand why she doesn't want me. Why I'm not good enough." Rachel had done her best keeping everything together until this point but now the tears were falling. She hadn't been able to talk to anyone about her mother. She felt guilty saying anything to her fathers. As much as she loved them both, the thought of having a mother too had made her happy and she didn't want them to feel like they didn't do enough. She didn't even realize she was crying until she felt the couch cushions shift and Will pulling her into his arms. He didn't say anything right away; he just let her cry.

Will suspected that she hadn't really cried about it before now and she probably hadn't ever talked to anyone. His heart was breaking for her. He knew that this would happen. He knew that Shelby was never as committed to the relationship as much as Rachel. It made him feel impotent knowing that he wasn't able to stop this heartbreak from happening.

After a few minutes, when Rachel's sobs began to subside, he pulled back so that she would see the truth in his eyes as he spoke. "Rachel, you are a talented, driven, kind, beautiful girl. There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing! And if Shelby couldn't see that, then she's the one that's not good enough. Rachel, you deserve everything. And I'm sorry I can't do more than tell you that."

Rachel stared at Will, stunned by the sincerity of his words, of the emotion she heard in his voice. She had never felt so loved before. She didn't know how to respond, so instead of saying anything she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Will wrapped his arms around Rachel. He wanted to tell her everything he was feeling and show her that he loved her; that if he could, he would tell her that every day. But he knew it was wrong. Rachel was his student and a minor, but he wasn't able to stop the feelings that had developed for her. All he could do was push those feelings away, to not let them show. But in this moment, Will allowed himself to hug her too tightly, his hands running up and down her back. Her head was tucked into the crook of his neck, and he kissed the top of her head before he rested his cheek there.

When Rachel felt him kiss her, she instantly knew that he felt more for her. She also knew that he wasn't allowed to. His mash up of "Don't Stand So Close To Me" and "Young Girl" was running through her mind. She knew she shouldn't do what she was about to do but she couldn't stop either. He was making her feel more loved than Finn ever did, and she wanted him to know that she had those feelings too. She untangled herself from his arms, looking up at him briefly before she leaned in to kiss him, her lips pressingly gently but insistently against his.

Will was stunned. He knew he needed to stop it but he couldn't. All he could think about were her soft lips, finally against his. He had dreamt of this moment and now that it was happening, he could think of nothing else. He kissed back, his tongue darting out, swiping against her bottom lip. He could taste the saltiness of her tears before Rachel opened her mouth to him. Will's hand tangled in Rachel's hair as he began to press against her, pushing her back so that she was lying on his couch with him on top of her. They continued for several minutes before Will summoned the strength to end it.

He ended the kiss and pulled away, Rachel whimpering slightly. He righted himself, feet on the floor, elbows on knees, head propped up by one of his hands, the other running through his hair.

Rachel didn't know what to do. She knew that a line was crossed, but she didn't want it to end. She sat up next him, wrapped her hands around his arm, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"This can't happen, Rachel." His voice was so soft that she almost didn't hear him.

She struggled to stop the tears from falling for a second time that night but some leaked from her eyes and onto his shoulder. "I know it can't." she told him. And she did know. She knew he wasn't allowed to do this, that it would destroy his career and he could end up in jail. But her feelings for him had never been stronger.

"It doesn't mean I don't want this." He told her honestly. It was suddenly important to him that she knew how he truly felt. That she didn't end up feeling used.

She smiled a little, "I know. Me too."

She lifted her head from his shoulder and he looked at her. His hand reached out to brush away the tears. She let him before pulling back. "I should go."

He nodded at the statement.

"Thank you, Mr. Schue for letting me stay behind and for … well, for everything." She got up, and moved towards the door. He followed behind her, not quite ready for her to leave, but knowing that he had to let her go.

She opened the door but he called out to her before she left his apartment. "Rachel, you know you can always come to me if you need to talk. I'll always be here for you."

She smiled at him, resisting the urge to reach out to him. "Thank you."

She turned and he watched her walk down the hall, wondering how he was ever going to be able to push away his feelings again.

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_Please review and let me know if I should continue. :) Thanks for reading. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** All things _Glee_ belong to Ryan Murphy and Fox. I'm just borrowing them.  
**  
****A/N: **Thank you everyone for your reviews and alert/favorite adds. They really do motivate me to write more; so, please continue to review and let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is welcome. :)

And thank you to my beta Joleigh13!

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

Three weeks later, Rachel stopped by Will's office in tears. She wouldn't tell him what was wrong or what had happened but he hugged her close while she cried. When she finally calmed down, she pulled away from him, smoothed down his shirt and thanked him quietly before turning and walking out of his office, leaving behind a very confused Will Schuester.

Will heard the next day that Finn and Quinn were dating again. He wanted to be angry that it made Rachel so upset, especially after what had happened between them but he knew that was irrational. She dated Finn. She had feelings for him. And Will knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about to someone who made you feel inferior; not two months earlier Emma had married Carl.

That day, he asked her to stay behind after Glee and she agreed. She helped him stack chairs in silence before Will finally spoke. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

Rachel continued stacking, purposefully avoiding his gaze and responding with false assurances, "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Will sighed, as he put down the chairs, "I don't know. Maybe because Finn and Quinn are dating or maybe because you cried all over me yesterday."

Rachel stopped what she was doing but didn't look at him. She whispered, "I'm sorry that I cried all over you."

Will stepped closer to her, "It's okay. You know I don't mind. I'm just … a little worried about you, Rachel."

She gave him a shaky smile, "I'll be okay."

He looked unsure, "Rachel …"

Her face twisted as the tears started to build. She walked over to the risers and sat down with her face in her hands. Will took a seat next to her, placing a comforting hand on her back and rubbing gently.

"I know it doesn't seem like it right now but it will get better. I had a bit of experience with this recently. And I know it hurts but you'll get past this and you'll find another guy. One who will appreciate you and make you happy and love you."

Looking up at him, she smiled briefly before turning away. She whispered, so quietly he could barely hear, "I think I already have." Will froze. He wasn't sure he heard her correctly but he knew if he did, he needed to make things clear.

"Rachel-" He warned but she cut him off.

"I know. I know. This can't happen."

He continued, "I wish things were different, Rachel. But I can't be that person. I'm not that person. I can't do this."

She didn't say anything for a moment before standing and grabbing her things. "I should go. This is starting to feel familiar. We've been here too many times, and I can't hear it again."

"I'm sorry, Rachel."

She smiled slightly, "Please don't apologize. I'm going to go now. Thank you for being there for me."

He frowned as she walked out of the room. "This is not going to work," he mumbled to himself.

XXX

That night, Will lie awake in his bed, the only thing on his mind being the thought of a petite brunette. This was not good. Will did not normally think of his students this way. He had, in fact, never thought of a student this way. But with Rachel, everything wasn't normal. Everything seemed different. Aside from her being beautiful and talented, they really did have a lot in common. He understood her, and she understood him. He just wished the situation was different. That she were five years older or he were ten years younger. He would take anything, as long as she wasn't his 17 year old student.

His mind, however, soon turned from how it absolutely could not happen to wondering if maybe he could be that person. That person who gave into his feelings. The one who didn't think about the consequences and instead did what felt right, even if others didn't see it that way.

He tossed and turned all night, thinking over every possible scenario and outcome and finally deciding that yes, with her, he could be that person. Will reached for his phone, vaguely realizing that it was five in the morning before he texted her, asking her to come over to his apartment later that day.

He felt a weight lift as he hit the send button. Nothing had ever felt more right.

XXX

Rachel was confused when she woke up and saw the text from Will. She had spent the night before crying over something she would never have. Something she could never have. And now he was asking her to come over to his apartment on a Saturday. She didn't know what to make of it. She tried to temper down the optimism she was feeling. She didn't want to get her hopes up only to get let down once again. There were only so many times he could say 'nothing would happen' in that kind, caring way of his before he became more forceful about it. She didn't know if she could handle it when he did.

She looked again at the text, noticing the time, 5:10. He sent it to her at 5:10 in the morning. What was he even doing up at that time? Why was he thinking of her? Why did he want to see her? She nervously responded to his text, telling him that she would be there around 2:00 that afternoon.

After sending it, she started getting ready. She didn't know what was going to happen but she wanted to look great, even if she ended up leaving his apartment in tears.

XXX

Will was anxious. He knew this could be the start of something wonderful. But he also knew it was dangerous. He had to be careful. _They_ had to be careful.

He was pacing the living room when there was a knock on his door at exactly 2:00. He took a deep breath before opening it. Rachel looked just as nervous. Will let her in and she took off her coat. His voice faltered as he looked at her. She was wearing a blue and white polka dot dress, one that clung to every curve. She handed him her coat and giggled when he just stared at her. Finally though, his brain came back to him and he took the coat from her outstretched hand.

"You look beautiful, Rachel." He said, breathlessly.

She blushed at the compliment, as he hung up her coat. He turned back to her and watched as she stood awkwardly in his foyer. "Do you want anything? I could get you something to eat or drink."

"I'm fine, Mr. Schue." Will started at her response. She reminded him of who he was. He took a breath, remembering how he felt last night when he made this decision. She was here in his apartment, and he wasn't going to turn back now.

He guided her to the living room. They sat down on the couch, facing each other. Now that she was here, Will didn't really know how to start this. Thankfully, it was Rachel who broke the silence first, "I was surprised to see your text this morning."

"Yeah, I was doing a lot of thinking last night. And I had to see you," he said honestly. "Rachel, how do you feel about me?"

She stared at him, a bit shocked and unsure of how to respond. He had told her the day before (for what was the third time now) that nothing would ever happen between them. She was afraid to tell him the truth, afraid of him rejecting her. "I don't understand what you're asking. Just yesterday-"

"I know what I said yesterday, three weeks ago, a year ago. Forget all that. How do you feel about me?" He pleaded.

She hesitated before giving in and telling him exactly what she felt. "I think I am falling in love with you." She looked him in the eye, continuing, "The way I feel about you, I've never felt before. Not with Finn and not with Jesse. It scares me but it excites me. And I know I shouldn't feel this way but I can't help it. I feel like I have this connection to you and it feels ... right."

He held her eyes as he moved closer to her leaving no room between them. "No one can know, Rachel."

Her eyes widened when she realized what he was saying. "Mr. Schue-"

"Will. You should call me Will outside of school, if you want this. But I'm serious. No one can know. The consequences are great and we have to be really careful."

"Will," she smiled, "how do you feel about me?"

He looked at her, allowing himself to speak the truth for the first time, "I love you. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you."

Smiling, she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him. He pulled her close. Rachel was the first to voice the thought on both of their minds.

"How is this going to work?"

Will hesitated, collecting his thoughts before answering. He knew what she was asking. She was his student. How were they possibly going to have a relationship?

"We have to be very careful, Rachel. Nothing can be said or done while we are at school or out in public. We have to be careful about you coming over here. I don't think anyone will notice but we've got to be discreet. You can't tell anyone, Rachel. No one can know." He felt her shaking her head against his chest. He took a deep breath before continuing on, knowing she wouldn't like what he was going to say next. "And I can't favor you in glee. You can't expect to get every solo you want."

Rachel pulled away, confusion written on her face. "But you don't favor me now. You never have."

"Rachel, you get more solos than anyone-"

"That's not true." She argued, "I haven't gotten a solo in months. You didn't even let me sing at sectionals. And now you're saying that you're going to give me even less because we're together? Will, singing is all I have; it's who I am. You can't keep taking that away from me."

"Rachel, honey, I'm not going to take anything away from you. I'm not going to give you less. I just don't want you to be expecting more."

Hurt, Rachel responded, "Is that really what you think of me? That I would expect more solos because of this?" Will, looked down in guilt. "Because if that's really what you think, why would you want to be with me?"

His head shot up. Will reached forward, cupping Rachel's face with his hands. He looked her in the eyes, begging her to understand, "I don't think that, Rachel. Honestly, I don't. Look, this whole thing is hard for me. I want to be with you. I've made that decision and, like you said, it feels right but that doesn't change the fact that this is dangerous. That I'm your teacher and you're my student, and if just one person finds out, it could ruin everything."

She took his hands in hers, squeezing them tightly as she spoke in what she hoped was a reassuring (and not desperate) tone. "I'm not going to tell anyone, Will. We won't be anything more than teacher and student at school. And outside of school, we'll be careful. We can make this work. I know we can."

Will smiled at her earnestness, hoping that it would be true and choosing to ignore the sudden feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him otherwise.

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_Don't forget to leave a quick review. :) Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N 1:** Thank you everyone for your reviews. They really do motivate me to write more; so, please continue to let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always welcome. :)  
**  
A/N 2: **I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter. I had some serious writer's block. I'm still not sure how I feel but it's done. Please let me know what you think about it and if you don't like it, please stick with me. I think things are back on track now and I'm excited to move on to the next chapter. Updates should be more regular from now on. And for those of you who were worried, there will be some drama ahead.

Now on to the story...

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_**Chapter 3**_

The next week was hard for both of them. Will and Rachel had discussed that they couldn't let anything change between them at school. But by Monday morning, Rachel was nervous. Her first class of the day was Spanish, and as she took her seat next to Mercedes, she reminded herself that she was a good actress; she just had to act like she normally did. It was hard though, when her skin was crawling with anticipation. She just couldn't wait to see him.

"Rachel, what did you do this weekend?"

She didn't hear Mercedes at first, instead focused on how the day would play out.

"Rachel," Mercedes called again, poking Rachel to get her attention.

Rachel turned to her, startled. "Sorry, Mercedes. I guess I was daydreaming. What did you say?"

Mercedes gave her a long look, before repeating herself. "I asked what you did this weekend."

Rachel smiled, remembering what happened with Will. After admitting how they truly felt, they spent the rest of Saturday curled up together on the couch just watching movies and talking.

"Oh, nothing much. Stayed in mostly, watched a couple of movies." As Rachel spoke, the bell rang and Will walked in. Rachel immediately turned forward, eyes following his movements as he walked to the desk, laid the papers in his hand down and looked up at the class. He looked first for her, giving a small smile.

She smiled brightly at him, as he began the lesson. "¡Hola clase!"

As Rachel tried to give him her full attention, she noticed that Mercedes kept glancing at her. Rachel suddenly realized she may have seemed too eager to see Will. Maybe she wasn't the actress she thought she was. Either that or pretending that she wasn't in love was going to be harder than she assumed.

Maybe the only way she was going to be able to act normal was to avoid Will as much as possible during school, at least until she got used to their relationship. She decided to stay quiet for most of class, not raising her hand at every question like normal. Will seemed to have other ideas though because he called on her repeatedly, even when someone else had raised their hand. He was not being very discreet, and Mercedes kept giving her curious looks. Rachel sighed. She didn't know what to do. It was the first time she was faced with the reality of their situation and how hard it was actually going to be.

XXX

When school ended, Will made his way to the choir room. He hadn't seen Rachel since Spanish. He was confused when she didn't raise her hand or actively participate in class. He started to get paranoid that his students would notice how strange that was and began calling on her for everything. He may have gone a bit overboard. He wanted to make everything seem normal but maybe it had a little bit more to do with him wanting to hear her voice.

They should have talked about this more. They said things would be normal during school but they didn't really talk about what that meant, especially for the first few days. Everything was new and all he wanted to do was pull her in his arms and kiss her. He needed to figure out how he was going to make it through this first week without shouting that he loved Rachel Berry over the PA system. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man; he should be able to act like it.

When Will got to the choir room, Rachel was the only one there, sitting in the front row and looking over some sheet music.

"Rachel."

She looked up at him and said, "Hi Mr. Schue," before she looked back down at the music without another word.

Will hesitated. She was being so casual. "How was your day?"

"Good," she responded, not looking him. Suddenly she jumped up and walked over to where he was standing by the piano, sheet music in hand. She stopped next to him, very little space between them, and placed the music in front of him.

"I was hoping we could talk about the arrangement of this song. While I think you did a nice job, it could be made better by emphasizing some of our stronger singers."

Will sighed, "Rachel, we talked about this. I can't just change things to feature you. I know it's been a while since I've given you a solo, and I do have some ideas for the future but this song is a group number."

He instantly regretted the words, when he saw her face fall. "I wasn't talking about me. I was going to suggest letting Tina and Mercedes take the lead with this song," she paused a moment before adding softly, "I don't know that this is going to work."

Before Will could respond, other members of the club entered the classroom. Will and Rachel shared a long look before Rachel grabbed the sheet music and returned to her seat.

Glee was a bit of a blur after that. He had forgotten his plan for the class and decided to have the group work on numbers they had previously done. Everything seemed to pass in slow motion. Will wanted to talk to Rachel and that was it, everything else was secondary at that moment. Finally, it was time for class to end.

"Alright everyone. You did a great job today. On Wednesday, we're really going to start focusing on Regionals; it's only a couple of weeks away and we need to finalize the set list. We'll discuss everything on Wednesday, but for now you can go," Will dismissed the class before calling out, "Rachel, can you stay behind for a moment?"

Rachel remained in her seat and, when the rest of the class filed out, Will grabbed a chair, flipping it around and sitting in front of her. He briefly thought back to the last time they were in this exact position. He laughed internally when he thought about how he was gently letting her down that time. He sobered up though when he realized it could be the other way around this time.

"Rachel, honey, what's going on?"

"This isn't going to work. I don't know how we thought this would work." She said quietly, not meeting his eyes.

He reached out to her, gently grabbing her chin and pushing her head up to meet her eyes. "No one said this was going to be easy. Things are going to be tricky until we get used to this, but then it _will_ settle down Rachel."

"I know this isn't going to be easy. But I didn't think it was going to be like this. Mercedes kept staring at me during Spanish, and I realized that maybe I wasn't doing a very good job at acting like things were the same. And then I got scared that I would mess this up, so I thought it was better not to say anything. But I just—I don't know." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "It's been like a day and already we are falling apart."

"We're not falling apart; we just didn't think this through completely. What we need to do is sit down and discuss how we should act when at school. You can't avoid me in hallways or stop participating in class and glee. That looks more suspicious than anything. And I can't be paranoid about making sure things look normal. We need to set ground rules. And once we have those, we can get through the school days like nothing has changed," he said as he smiled at her, hoping she would understand that they just needed to try and that things would get better.

She smiled back, her eyes darting to both doors before leaning forward and kissing him quickly on the lips. "Okay. I'm sorry I made things worse than they needed to be. I do that from time to time."

Will laughed. "Rachel Berry overdramatic? Never!"

XXX

Tuesday was better. After talking with Will the day before, Rachel felt much better about everything. They discussed the ground rules, what they needed to do to keep school separate from their relationship. Discussing how they needed to act at school made it easier for her to get through the day. But she found that what helped the most was thinking of Will as Mr. Schuester while at school. Spanish class with Mr. Schuester was easier. She didn't try to avoid Mr. Schuester in the halls. In fact, she found herself falling into this role much better than she thought she would after the day before.

They didn't have Glee on Tuesdays but Rachel and Finn, as co-captains, had their weekly meeting with Mr. Schue. She walked to his office as soon as her last class got out. Usually, she would arrive before Finn, but today he was already there, and as it sounded, in the middle of a conversation with their teacher.

She held back a moment before entering when she heard Mr. Schue speak.

"What going on Finn?" He seemed concerned about something and it made Rachel curious.

"It's Quinn. She's so worried about prom queen, and the things I should be doing to help us win, but I don't really know what I should be doing. What did you do in high school? You dated the prom queen right?"

"Yes, Terri was prom queen. But as you know, it's a popularity contest Finn. You just have to campaign for that like you would anything else." His voice was tight, and Rachel supposed that his ex-wife may still be a fresh wound.

"Quinn said Rachel would cause us to lose." Rachel rolled her eyes; it didn't seem to matter what she did, Quinn was always going to hate her.

"Why would she think that?" she heard Will question.

"Because I still—well, I still care about her." Rachel was glad she wasn't in the room. She would probably have started laughing. It was always like this with Finn. He wanted her, then he had her but didn't want her, then he wanted her again, but then he didn't. It seemed like an endless loop and she was done with that.

"Finn, you broke up with Rachel." Rachel smiled at the jealousy she swore she heard in his voice.

But Finn didn't realized the change in Mr. Schue, "Yes, but really—"

Rachel chose that moment to walk into the office, not really wanting to hear Finn's excuses again. "Hi Mr. Schue. Finn."

Will looked up at her but didn't give her the smile he usually would. She was confused by his reaction to her, but decided to file it away for later.

"So, what are your thoughts for Regional guys?" Mr. Schue asked, as she took her seat in front of the desk next to Finn.

"I think we should stick with the classics, Mr. Schue. We always do well with that." Finn suggested.

"I was thinking that too. We could do another Journey medley."

"Mr. Schue," Rachel interrupted, "while I agree that we did a great job with Journey last year, we need something more. And I think we need to listen to the club. I'm sure they have some great ideas and if they feel included in the decision making process, maybe they'll put that much more into it."

"I don't know, Rachel. We need to make sure we have quality song choices."

"And the club will provide that. I know they will."

"You know, maybe Rachel is right," Finn interjected and she was happy to have his support, "I'm sure the club would like having a say in this."

"Okay. Well, if you both think that's the best way to handle this, that's what we'll do." Rachel smiled at Mr. Schue. She couldn't wait to bring up her idea in class.

Finn stood, grabbing his bag, "Great. Well, I have to go meet Quinn for something. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Finn," Mr. Schue said. When he left the room, Will looked back at her, "You really think this will work, Rachel? Everyone likes different things; choosing one idea over another could lead to some resentment."

"I think sometimes you underestimate us. I promise the group will come up with great ideas," she assured

"Okay," he smiled, "How was your day?"

She was grateful for the change in subject. She didn't want to be the first one to move from school to personal. "Good. Better. Spanish class was much better."

"Yes, especially since you decided to participate again," he teased.

Rachel laughed, remembering how silly things were just the day before. She looked down at her watch and noticing the time, frowned, "I hate to do this, but I have ballet this afternoon, so I should go."

Will got up and walked around to the front of her desk as Rachel picked up her bag. When she turned he was right in front of her. He leaned down giving her a quick kiss.

When she pulled back, she smiled up at him, "that was against the rules, Mr. Schuester."

She noticed him stiffen slightly, but gave her a tight smile, "I know, but I couldn't help myself."

Rachel ducked her head, feeling herself flush at his words. "I really should go. I'll see you tomorrow."

XXX

At glee on Wednesday, Will turned to their set list for Regionals. He decided Rachel was right. The club may have some great ideas and he should get their opinions for this competition. Their suggestions, however, were not as helpful as Rachel promised they would be.

Sam felt a medley of Justin Bieber's greatest hits would suit them well. Mike suggested dance music so he and Brittany could show off their skills. Mercedes suggested some classic soul such as Aretha Franklin or Tina Turner, which had some merit but not what he was looking for.

Will sighed, "These are all great suggestion guys, but we need something that will really stand out. Something that will set us apart from the other groups."

Will was a little confused about Rachel's silence. He was sure she'd have a contribution of Broadway showstoppers that would be perfect for her voice. Just as he was about to ask for her input, Santana beat him to it.

"What's the matter, Midget? All out of ideas?"

Will's eyes snapped to Santana as he said her name with a warning tone.

"It's okay, Mr. Schue," Rachel smiled slightly, "I do actually have an idea but I wasn't sure how the group would feel about it."

"Well, we would love to hear it, Rachel," Will encouraged, noticing the eye rolls and looks among the group sitting behind her.

"In order to win, we have to do something new, something innovative. And I think we should write our own original songs."

The room was silent as everyone processed the suggestion. Will was impressed, proud even. He hadn't thought of original songs, and she was right. If they did it well, it would really help them stand out.

But, just as he was about to praise the idea, the rest of the group began laughing. He didn't understand. It was a great suggestion, certainly better than Justin Bieber or dance music, and no one even snickered at those.

Will watched as Rachel looked down, sadly, at her hands sitting in her lap. He hated seeing the others beat her down.

"That's enough!" Will shouted. Everyone quieted down and he continued, "Rachel has made an excellent suggestion. It is something that would challenge us and I really think we could excel at that."

"But Mr. Schue," Quinn interrupted, "What do any of us know about songwriting?"

"Yeah," Santana agreed, "unlike Little Miss Broadway, the rest of us have not been taking music lessons since we were babies."

The majority of the group kept quiet, but Mercedes added to the opposition. "Seriously, Mr. Schue, none of us know how to write songs. Rachel will be the only one who comes up with something decent, and she's not going to let anyone else sing her songs; so, Regionals will just end up being the Rachel Berry Show. But I guess that's fine with you because everyone knows Rachel is your favorite."

Will was at a loss for words. He didn't realize the group felt that way; that his feelings for Rachel looked like favoritism. He struggled through his response, trying to assure the group that they were all important to him. "No, Mercedes. You are all … amazing. Each and every one of you is special. This group wouldn't be the same without _all_ of you. I'm just trying to push you guys to do something different, something I think you could be great at and-"

"Mr. Schuester," Rachel interjected, "if the rest of the group is against the idea, we should stick with what we know."

He looked at her for a long moment, about to protest, when he heard sighs of relief coming from some of the group. If they really didn't want to do this, maybe he shouldn't make them.

"Okay, Rachel, if that's how everyone feels." He saw them all nod and sighed, "In that case, let's get some other suggestions on the board."

By the time rehearsal ended, they managed to come up with a pretty good set list but it lacked that wow factor. As everyone left, he noticed Rachel lingering. He smiled to himself; he hadn't been alone with her all day. He stayed in the room, pretending to busy himself with the sheet music, as the last of the group left. He looked up then, his eyes meeting Rachel's. He suddenly needed to know why she easily gave up on her idea.

"What was that about, Rachel?" He asked as he took a seat next to her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why did you give up on the original song idea? It was great Rachel."

She smirked at him, "I know that, Will. But the fact is, the group didn't want that, and you were showing favoritism. That's against the rules."

Will started to protest, but Rachel continued on, cutting off his argument, "Admit it, Will. You only pushed for the idea because we're together. I've had several amazing ideas in the past and you've shot down every one of them. If we weren't together, you would have put it to a vote, everyone would have voted against it and we would have moved on."

Will sat stunned at her observation and then thought about what she said. It was true. He had tried so hard to fight his feelings for her, and he knew that sometimes, he was tougher on her that he should have been.

"I'm sorry, Rachel."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. I've sometimes been unfair to you."

"Yes," she agreed, "but that was in the past. Let's not talk about that."

She stood with a mischievous glint in her eye. He watched as she got up to close the door.

"Instead, let's work on that solo you are going to give me."

He smiled, rolling his eyes, but got up anyway and searched through the music for the song he had already been planning to give her. When he handed it to her, she smiled and, standing on her tiptoes, leaned up to kiss him.

Will deepened the kiss, pulling her to him before lifting her up and sitting her on the piano. He needed to stop this. They were at school. It was against the ground rules, but when she pushed against him, her hands resting on his chest, her legs wrapping around his waist, he gave into the feeling. A few minutes wouldn't hurt.

He rested his hands on her thighs, just below the hem of her skirt, which had ridden up quite a bit. This was the first time he touched her like this. He reveled in the feel of her soft, smooth skin under his hands. He rubbed them up and down her thighs, moving higher with each stroke until his hands disappeared under her skirt. He was enjoying her soft sighs, as their tongues danced together, her fingers clutching his shirt.

He moved his hands further under her skirt, around her hips, until he was cupping her soft behind. He gently pulled her forward until she came in contact with his arousal. He groaned at the sensation but noticed that Rachel instantly stiffened. Her hands were no longer clutching his shirt but instead laying flat against his chest.

Will immediately pulled back a couple of inches, his hands moving to rest on the piano on either side of her. He looked at her. Her eyes were dark, she looked thoroughly kissed, but he also sensed a bit of fear.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but hesitated, before saying instead, "My dad will be here soon. I should go."

He backed away from her, nodding and not sure what to say. Should he apologize? Tell her he didn't mean to pressure her? But then she smiled brightly at him, and he knew that things were okay. She wasn't upset about what had just happened.

He watched her walk over to her bag, picking it up and placing it on her shoulder.

"What are you doing Saturday night?"

She pretended to think, "I might have a couple free hours, why?"

He smiled, "Do you want to come over? I can make us dinner; we can watch a movie."

"That sounds perfect." She walked over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He returned the hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and she whispered, "I love you."

He sighed at the words and whispered back, "I love you too, Rach," before placing a kiss on her neck. She pulled back, smiling up at him before turning and walking out of the room.

XXX

The rest of the week was easier, better. They fell into their relationship, found it easier to act like they normally did. They both understood if they crossed that line while in school again, this thing was never going to last. Saturday couldn't come fast enough for Rachel. Being with Will outside of school made it feel more real, as if they were just boyfriend and girlfriend and not also student and teacher.

When Saturday did arrive, Rachel could hardly contain her excitement. She was going to have her first date with Will. Granted they weren't going to leave his apartment, but he was making her dinner and they were going to watch a movie in his living room, and really that was a lot more intimate and romantic than going out. She was a little nervous though. She wasn't quite sure what he was expecting.

She arrived at his apartment and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Coming!" She heard his muffled voice respond. When the door opened the first thing she noticed was how good dinner smelled. She was pleasantly surprised when he mentioned cooking for her. Terri told her he never cooked that embarrassing day she came to his apartment and proceeded to clean and cook for his wife.

"Hi," he smiled at her.

The second thing she noticed was how good Will looked. He was dressed more casually than she had seen him at school, wearing dark blue jeans and a black V-neck. He held the door open and as she stepped in past him, she got a whiff of his cologne. She had to stifle a moan at how good he smelled.

"Hi. Something smells really good," she complemented as she unbuttoned her coat. He reached out to take it off and hung it next to the door.

His eyes swept over her; she was wearing a red dress with small white polka dots. The neck line was low, exposing her neck and just a tiny hint of cleavage, not that she had much to begin with. But she knew she looked fantastic.

Will looked back up, meeting her eyes. "You look beautiful. I'm making pasta, completely vegan-friendly. I'm just finishing up."

Rachel followed him to the kitchen as he went over to the pot of sauce. She leaned against the counter, taking a moment to watch him work.

"Have you graded the Spanish tests yet?" She asked as he started the boiling the pasta.

He looked over his shoulder with a smirk, "Rachel, I thought one of the ground rules was to not discuss things that fall under the student/teacher category."

"I know that but you were staring at me during the entire test yesterday and it was hard to concentrate," she said with a slight pout.

Will leaned over, kissing her quickly, "I couldn't help it with the skirts you wear, but it didn't look like it bothered you." She knew he was referring to the smile they shared when she looked up at him and caught his eyes looking back at her. But she wondered too if he noticed how she parted her legs slightly for him. It was just for a minute or so but she felt a rush when she did it. That's not something she would have ever thought she would do, but she was sitting in the front row and he was staring at her like he wanted to devour her. She wanted to throw him off as much as he was throwing her off.

As she thought back to how it felt to have him looking at her like that, Will continued on, "Besides, one bad grade will hardly hurt your average."

Rachel was alarmed, "I got a bad grade?"

Will laughed, adding the pasta to the sauce, "I haven't graded them yet Rachel; I'm just saying if you did falter, you get straight-a's. This one test isn't going to mess up your average. Now no more school talk, it's time for our date."

They started their meal in silence. Except for praising his cooking, Rachel wasn't sure what to talk about. She was trying to stay away from school-related topics but one thing kept popping up in the back of her mind.

"Will?"

"Yeah."

"I heard you and Finn talking for a couple of minutes on Tuesday before our meeting," she started.

He looked up at her, "Oh?"

"Yeah, I was about to walk in when I heard him talk about Quinn and prom and how she was mad at him because of me."

Will looked down, his brow furrowed and Rachel noticed the nervous breath he took, but she continued on, "When he said he still cared about me, you seemed almost angry."

Will sighed, "I wasn't angry, Rachel. I was just—he still cares about you, Rachel. I think he still wants to be with you."

"He broke up with me."

"Yes, but maybe he's having doubts. I wouldn't blame him if he decided he wanted you back, and I guess that worries me."

Rachel smiled when she realized he was afraid of losing her. "Even if he does want me back, I don't want to be with him anymore. It's you I want to be with."

Will looked up at her, relief showing in his face. "Okay then."

"So, you dated the prom queen?" she asked, "Were you king?"

Will let out a slight chuckle and she was glad he wasn't upset that she brought up his ex-wife. "No, I was not prom king, much to Terri's displeasure. She campaigned for that crown for weeks. She was so happy when she got it."

She saw him smile at the memory, and she remembered how he sounded when he was talking to Finn about it. She wanted to ask him about it, but wasn't sure how it would feel to hear him talk about his marriage. She knew it didn't end well, but he had shared his life with Terri for 15 years, loved her for 15 years. He had told her he loved her, but she wasn't quite sure what that love meant for them, if he thought about a future with her. But she decided she needed to know.

"You really loved her?"

She could tell he was uncomfortable but was happy when he didn't shut her out. "Of course I did. I thought for the longest time that she was the love of my life. We were so happy together. But I was wrong and things eventually changed. We didn't grow together like we were supposed to. And you know that it didn't end well. But I don't regret it. I don't regret falling in love with her and I don't regret marrying her. I think, in a way, I owe her for showing me what it is I really want in life."

He looked up at her then, and she didn't quite know what to say. Sure she had loved Finn but she couldn't equate that to what he had with Terri. She wanted to ask him what it was he wanted but thought it was too soon. They had only just started this relationship and though she fell quickly, she knew it was too soon to start talking about their future.

She was saved though when he changed the subject to her upcoming dance recital. As dinner continued, the conversation between them became lighter and they talked and laughed about things normal couples would talk and laugh about. It felt good, to be a normal couple for the night.

After dinner, they both cleaned up the dishes before they made their way to the couch.

"So," Will said, "I picked up a couple of movies, both of which I think you will like but I wasn't sure what you might be in the mood for. So, I got a romantic comedy and a drama.

"Hmmm, that's tough choice but I think we should watch the romantic comedy."

"Sounds good to me," Will said as he put the movie into the DVD player, "and we could always make it a double feature. What did you tell your dads you were doing tonight?"

He sat beside her on the couch, throwing his arm around her shoulder and starting to kiss along her exposed neck.

"I told them I was hanging out with Mercedes."

"Maybe you could be spending the night with Mercedes," he whispered into her neck.

Rachel stiffened. This is what she was worried about. She didn't know what he was expecting from her tonight and she didn't think she was ready. She laughed nervously, "I um, I don't-"

Will broke away from her, rushing to assure her, "I'm sorry Rachel that was wrong of me, and I didn't mean it like that. I just—I just want to spend as much time with you as I can. We aren't able to see each other much. I didn't even mean that we had to do anything."

Rachel grabbed his hand, "I want to. I want to be with you. I'm just not completely ready for that yet."

"And that's okay. I love you, Rachel. I'm not going to push. I'll wait for you."

She was noticeably relieved, "Thank you."

He smiled at her, kissing her on the forehead and resting his arm around her shoulder. "Let's just watch the movie for now."

* * *

**A/N 3:** I'm thinking of adding some scenes later on that may raise the rating to M, nothing too explicit. I wanted to get your feedback. Is there anyone out there that may be against a rating change? I hadn't planned on the M scenes when I started out, so if there is anyone who would prefer not to have them, please let me know and I will take that into consideration as I more forward.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your reviews. And thank you to everyone who has put this story on alert or favorites; it's overwhelming how many of you are reading this story! Please continue to let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always welcome. :) Thank you to my beta Joleigh13!

* * *

Chapter 4

"Okay guys, you've all signed the pledge. I trust you not to do this again. No more alcohol, okay?" Will collected the contracts from his students as they nodded. He couldn't believe they had done this. He was upset about the party, but more than that, he was upset that they actually brought it to school. They had been walking around drunk for days. How did they not understand that this jeopardized glee? And how did he not notice it?

Will took the last contract from Rachel and saw that she wouldn't make eye contact. If he thought about it, he would realize that he was too angry with her, so it was probably a good thing. He couldn't believe she would host a party and provide the alcohol. Logically, he knew it was probably Puck or someone who talked her into it. And he couldn't really be mad about the party. He had hosted a few himself when he was her age. But it didn't change the fact that she chose to drink during school.

"Okay, you can go for the day. Don't forget our Saturday rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. We'll be focusing on the numbers for Regionals." Will walked over to the piano and packed away the contracts into his bag, as the group filed out. He heard her quiet voice before he realized she was standing across from him.

"I'm sorry."

He looked up at her then and took her in. It was impossible for him to stay angry with her, but he did need her to know he was disappointed. "How could you do this Rachel?" he asked. "You know glee can be taken away at any moment."

"I know," she replied, somewhat petulantly, and it was the first time in a while he was reminded of her age. "It was only going to be one night. My dads have been out of town and Puck convinced me that it would be fun. I thought maybe the rest of the group would like me more if I did it. I'm not going to apologize for the party at my house. But I am sorry we brought it to school. I don't really know why we did that."

"Rach, you could have gotten hurt. Alcohol is new to you. You may not know what your body can handle yet."

"I said I was sorry. And it's not like you don't drink."

"I'm _legally_ allowed to drink," he argued.

But Rachel wouldn't back down. "In fact, you got very drunk just the other night."

That caused Will to pause. He didn't tell her about that. "How did you know that?"

Rachel beamed at him, and he could tell she was glad that she now had the upper hand. "I may or may not have evidence in the form of a voicemail, from a call you made to me the night you hung out with Coach Beiste."

He called her? "I don't … remember calling you."

Rachel looked at him with mock seriousness, "You need to be careful, Will. You may not know what your body can handle yet."

He laughed at that. Sure she was throwing his words back at him and, usually, that would annoy him, but she was being so adorable about it. How could he be angry at her?

"So, what did I say?" he playfully asked, determined to let his earlier disappointment and worry go.

"Oh, it was _very_ interesting. I'll play it for you on the way to my house."

"Your house? I thought you drove today?" he asked.

"I did … but I drank a little too much earlier and I think I'm still a little tipsy, so I was hoping you could give me a ride?"

Will sighed loudly, running a hand across his forehead and through his hair. "Rachel—"

"I know," she interrupted. "I _am_ sorry."

He took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."

He turned to leave the classroom, as Rachel picked up her bag and followed him to his old, beat up car. He really needed to get a new one; this one wasn't going to hold out much longer. They climbed in and he put the key the ignition, starting the car, but pausing before he pulled out of his space.

"I worry about you, Rachel." He reached over and grabbed her smaller hand with his.

He felt her squeeze tightly. "I know. I just made a bad decision, a series of them really. But I won't make them again; I promise."

He breathed out, almost in relief, at her reassurance. "Thank you."

As he pulled out of the school parking lot, Rachel leaned over and looked through her bag, sitting up only when she found her phone.

"So, can we listen to your drunk message now? It's quiet entertaining," she teased.

"Oh boy. Let's hear it." Will smiled, slightly nervous about what he might have said. Rachel didn't seem upset though so it couldn't be too bad, whatever it was.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as she dialed her voicemail and put the phone on speaker. He instantly regretted wanting to hear it.

"Heeey there sexy lady," he heard himself slur. "There's something I really, really want to say to you. I love the way you dress with your short, definitely inappropriate skirts. And those animal sweaters? They are the cutest things I've ever seen in my life. … Why don't you put one on and come over here, and let's just get crazy. Crazy together, rolling around in the hay, as I was just in some hay earlier tonight. Hey, and I rode a bull, and I was thinking of you and the things I am going to do to you..."

Rachel shut her phone off as the message ended. Will was trying to focus on the road in front of him. He could tell that her face was red. He was sure his was too. He couldn't believe he had said those things to her. Granted, it was all true. He loved those skirts and her sweaters were adorable. And it was true that he thought often about all the things he wanted to do with her, but to actually say that to her was going too far. She wasn't ready for that.

"Rach, I am so, so sorry. That was completely out-of-line."

"I thought it was sweet." She smiled shyly.

"Sweet?" How could she possibly think that was sweet?

"Yeah," she said softly, "I mean, it's sweet that you like how I dress and that you want me like that. No one has ever made me feel so wanted before."

"Are you sure, Rach? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm sure. It doesn't make me uncomfortable." She paused and they sat in silence for a moment. "I'm just glad you weren't so drunk that you called the wrong person. That would have been bad."

"Well, you're number one on my speed dial, so that's hard to mess up." He responded, without missing a beat, as he turned on to her street.

"I suppose … Wait. I'm on your speed dial? And I'm number one?"

"Yeah," he said casually, "I talk to you more than anyone."

"That's so sweet. I love you."

"I love you too," he said as he came to a stop in front of her house.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she gathered her things.

He grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. He wanted to lean over and kiss her, but he knew he couldn't, not here. "I'll pick you up on my way."

"Sounds good. Thanks." She gave him a smile, as she opened the door and climbed out of his car. He watched as she entered her house before heading home.

XXX

Rehearsal on Saturday was long and exhausting, but for Rachel it was invigorating. This was what it was supposed to be like. Regionals was in exactly one week, and everyone was working really hard to make their set the best it could be.

After four hours in which they almost perfected 'Sing' and really progressed on Rachel and Mercedes' duet, Mr. Schue dismissed them. This made Rachel happy. Except for the car ride yesterday, she hadn't seen him outside of school since they had dinner more than a week ago. She was hoping to spend some time with him tonight. She knew it would be their last chance before Regionals. If they didn't see each other tonight, they would have to wait for more than a week before they could again and that would be more than two weeks without being able to talk to _Will_.

She waited until everyone filed out of the auditorium and she smiled to herself as she realized this had become their thing, waiting around until the others left so they could talk.

"That went well," Will stated, as he walked down the aisle, and sat next to her on the edge of the stage.

"Yeah, I'm really happy with how far along we are. We're going to put up a good fight," she agreed, before rushing to ask, "So, what are we doing tonight?"

Will's eyes widened at her question. "I didn't realize we were doing anything."

"Well, we haven't discussed it but we haven't seen each other in over a week. I know we won't be able to hang out this week and next weekend is Regionals … I just thought we could spend tonight with each other."

His expression softened at her explanation. "You know I want to Rachel. I miss seeing you too, but with all the extra rehearsals for Regionals, I've fallen behind on actual work. I've got midterms and papers that I really need to grade. I'm sorry. As soon as we get through Regionals, we'll be able to see each other more."

"But after Regionals is Nationals. How are we going to have more time if we have to work even harder for Nationals?"

"We'll find a way, Rach." He was trying to reassure her but it wasn't working. She didn't like this. She wanted to spend every second she could with him.

"Well let's find a way tonight. I'm not saying we need to do anything special, but I want to spend time with you … Look, I have a paper that I really do need to write. Maybe I could work on that, while you grade your papers?" She asked, hopefully. She really didn't care what they were doing. She just wanted to be in the same space with him for a while.

She saw him smile at her suggestion, and she knew she had him. "That sounds perfect, Rach."

XXX

Rachel arrived at Will's apartment about 45 minutes after he did. She had gone home to shower, change and gather the books she would need, as well as her laptop.

Will was just getting out his papers to grade. He had really fallen behind. Stacks covered half of the coffee table in front of him, divided first by class and then separated into midterms and essays. He sat back on the couch, sinking into the cushions and sighed. He could really use a beer right now to help him unwind. But no, he had promised his students that he would abstain from alcohol if they did; he had promised Rachel. And besides, if Rachel was going to be around tonight, it was probably best that he keep to his word. That embarrassing voicemail was still fresh in his mind, and he didn't care if she thought it was sweet; it was wrong.

He heard the soft knock and smiled. He quickly got off the couch and jogged to the door. When he opened it, he was taken aback by her beauty. She was always beautiful but tonight she was dressed very casually in grey sweats and a pink t-shirt; her hair was pulled up and she looked like she was ready to study. He smiled at how comfortable she was, being around him like this. He was glad their relationship was strong enough that everything didn't have to be dinner and movies and romance and that they were perfectly content just being with the other.

He stepped aside, allowing her to enter his apartment. She was about to speak but he closed the door, turned towards her and, taking her face in his hands, kissed her deeply. As he pulled back, they were both smiling.

"Hi," she said breathlessly. "Are you ready to work?"

One hand was still on her face, and he brushed his thumb along her cheek before taking her bag from her shoulder. "I sure am; I was just getting started."

"Good," she responded, "I'm going to get some juice. Do you want anything?"

He watched her retreat to his kitchen as he laid her bag on the couch and sat back down in front of the papers. "I'm good. Thanks."

They settled in quickly. Will was sitting on the couch, a stack of papers in his lap. Rachel sat on the floor between the couch and his coffee table, with her laptop sitting on the table and books surrounding her on the floor. He was enjoying this, just working in silence with Rachel by his side. He was struck by the domesticity of this scene and realized at that moment how much he missed it.

She sighed deeply then, and he watched as she reached for her bag, pulling out another book and rifling through it until she found what she needed. She then placed the open book in her lap and continued her furious typing. She was so cute when she was this focused.

"What?" she asked softly. She didn't look at him; she just kept typing. He saw her smile before turning back to his midterms.

"Nothing," he replied, as he reached for his grade book. As he was entering the marks for his second stack, he felt the couch shift under her weight.

She was staring at him now. "What?" He playfully repeated. She smiled again but he could tell she had a serious question. He placed his papers in his grade book and laid them on the end table before giving her his full attention. Her body was turned towards him but she was sitting on the other end of the couch.

She observed him a moment before speaking. "Why did you decide to become a teacher?"

Her question threw him a little and to be honest, he wasn't quite sure how to answer. He had many reasons for becoming a teacher and none of them were all that inspiring, but the reasons he stayed surely made up for that.

She was still staring at him – waiting for his response – and he sensed it was more than her wanting to know why. "What's going on, Rach?"

She ducked her head and shrugged slightly. "I've just been thinking about what I would do if I couldn't be on Broadway."

Will's eyes widened at that. He didn't realize she was thinking about a back-up plan. It was smart of her, but he never thought it necessary. He had no doubt she would make it. "You want to be a teacher?"

He knew the surprise in his voice was evident, and she hesitated before responding. "I don't know … I feel like I should have a plan, you know?" He nodded his agreement. "So, why did you become a teacher?"

He took a deep breath. It wasn't really anything he ever talked about. He wasn't sure he could explain it, but he would try.

"It was several things, Rach. None of them the reasons they should be. I went to college in-state, and I actually studied finance. My major was accounting. But I didn't want to give up singing completely, so I minored in musical theater. And Spanish … well, it was something my adviser said would be helpful, and I always liked it in high school." He paused a moment, remembering the kid he used to be.

"I had dreams of going to New York after graduation, of trying to make it on Broadway. But I didn't really have the confidence, and I was afraid of failing. Then there was Terri. We were engaged at that point, and she had … expectations. She wanted a husband that would support her and be around every night and cater to her needs; and being a struggling actor would not allow for that," he sighed, as he remembered the fights.

"She wanted me to work at a bank or an accounting firm, something that would bring in the big bucks. But I really couldn't see myself in any of those jobs. I _hated_ accounting. Much to Terri's displeasure, I found myself thinking about Spanish. I enjoyed the language and learning more about the cultures that speak it. So I started looking for ways to use that and the Spanish teacher at McKinley happened to just retire. I applied and that's how I became a teacher."

It wasn't for the reasons one should and he was a bit ashamed of that. He watched as she scooted closer to him; he hadn't really made eye contact with her during all of it, but he couldn't help feeling this was good. He never talked to anyone like this; but with her, it was easier that he expected it to be.

"Why did you stay? I mean, you're not with Terri anymore. It's not too late for you to go to New York."

He reached for her hand, holding it gently in his.

"My students. I may not have gotten into it for them, but it's why I've stayed. Seeing them grow, graduating and starting their lives, having a small part in that … There are some students," he squeezed her hand at this, "that excel at everything they do and are working so hard to … become someone _amazing_. And to be able to be there for them and push them to not give up, it's very rewarding.

"And then…then there are those students who are struggling or who may not care, and that's when I feel I'm at my best. And that maybe, I ended up a teacher for them. I can push them harder, open up their world, provide the encouragement their family may not … _care_. There are a couple of them in glee. And to be able to reach them, to see them apply themselves and grow into young adults, it's just … it makes it all worth it."

She was smiling when he finished, and he was sure she didn't expect all that from him but she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him softly.

"_You're_ amazing," she said with wonder. And it was something he needed to hear. He didn't realize how much he needed to hear it.

He leaned in to kiss her again and she deepened it, throwing her leg over his lap to straddle him. His arms automatically wrapped around her, his hands running up and down her back and pulling her close. He slid his tongue in her mouth and let his duel with hers. He could taste the orange juice she had been drinking. She moaned into his mouth before pulling back.

"Okay," she said, as she started to climb off him, "break time over!"

He laughed as he sat back in her spot on the floor and reached for her book. He reached for his next stack of papers but suddenly his mind started drifting. When was the fall out going to happen? This was going too well, and by all standards, it shouldn't be. These thoughts had been happening every now and then since they started this relationship. He didn't regret it though. He was the happiest he had been and a long time, and he knew she was happy too. That's what mattered here. Still this was too easy; the other shoe had to drop eventually.

XXX

The next week was a whirlwind of class and rehearsals, extra-long, extra-grueling rehearsals. _They were ready_, Rachel thought to herself. _They were going to win this thing. _

Backstage at Regionals was crazy. Everyone was running around and making last minute preparations. Despite her confidence, Rachel was nervous, really nervous. She sat at the makeup table, touching up, when she saw Will in the mirror. They made eye contact and he tilted his head towards the stage door, before walking in that direction. She made sure no one was around before following him out.

"Hi," she said as the door closed behind her.

"Hi." He was looking at her but she wasn't sure what he was looking for.

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"I know you are," he nodded at her.

"Then why are we out here?"

"I just … wanted to tell you how proud I am of you, Rach. You've grown so much in this past year. And I know you are going to go out there and blow them away."

She tried to hold back the tears. That's what she needed. His words of support had settled the slight fear she had felt. She reached for his hand, standing on her toes to kiss him softly.

"Thank you," she said before she turned towards the door and they returned inside.

Rachel gave him another smile before walking to her spot for her entrance.

"Why were you outside with Mr. Schue?" Crap. It was Mercedes.

"Oh. He, um, he was just trying to calm my nerves. I was hyperventilating a bit. That's all." It was a little rushed. It was obvious she was lying but Rachel kept her eyes focused in front of her, hoping Mercedes wouldn't push.

"Mmmhmm." She heard before the first note of their duet played. She needed to focus. She could deal with Mercedes later.

Their performance went by fast, the nerves settled completely as she stepped out into the spotlight. As she was standing on the stage waiting for them to announce the winner, all she could feel was Will's hand in hers, squeezing tightly. When they announced that the Warblers had won, it took everything inside her not to break down. They were all silent. She was happy for Kurt, of course, and she smiled as she saw him jumping up and down, being hugged by Blaine. But she also felt the jealousy running through her. If they had won, she would be able to hug Will right now under the guise of celebration, and she really needed his arms around her.

They lost. She couldn't believe it. They lost Regionals. This was supposed to be their year. They had all worked so hard. She had been perfect; they were perfect. Why wasn't that good enough?

She felt Will drop her hand and pat her upper back. She looked up at him; he looked sad but he was still smiling. There was some good news. They came in second place; at least the club would survive this lost.

The bus ride back was quiet and somber. They felt defeated. And to top it all off, she wouldn't get to see Will tonight. It would be too late by the time they got back.

As they got closer to the school, she watched as Mr. Schue stood and faced them, a smile on his face. "I'm so proud of you guys," he started. "That was a _fantastic_ performance. You should all be proud and happy for Kurt. And you should be proud and happy for us. You placed second! You've helped make this club permanent. And we are going to come back next year and we're going to take it all. I have no doubts.

"So, I know it's disappointing, but let's be happy this isn't the end. And let's resolve to work even harder, starting on Monday. I still want us to have rehearsals and get started early for next year."

He paused and Rachel looked around. The group was a little brighter; some even looked excited about continuing rehearsals.

"So, what do you say? Are you guys with me?"

A quiet chorus of "yes" came from the group.

"Is that the best you can do?" Mr. Schue teased. "I asked if you were with me!"

"YES!" An even louder chorus sounded, followed by laughter. Rachel couldn't take her eyes off of Will. She thought back to what he said about being a teacher, about why he stayed. He really was amazing. He inspired her with how much he cared, how he never gave up.

XXX

Rehearsals the next few weeks were more low-key. They were about having fun and not focusing on competition. Rachel was glad for that because it meant that she and Will were able to see each other more. Most days, she went to his apartment after glee. She would tell her dads that she was hanging out with Mercedes or helping Sam with his siblings; but really, she would be with Will. They would cook dinner together or watch TV. Some days, he helped her study. Other days, they would just sit on his couch and talk. Most night would end in a make-out session.

For Rachel, things were progressing quite nicely in that arena. Their make-out sessions were always heated but now their hands were starting to wander and both were getting bolder. Some days, she would be straddling him as he sat back on the couch, her hands under his shirt tracing the muscles that were there. He had the most amazing abs. And he would kiss her as if she was air, and he needed her to live. He made her feel so desirable.

Other days, they lay on the couch, Will holding himself above her. He'd bury his face in her neck, nibbling, licking, sucking on the skin he found there. The last few times, he would press against her and she could feel how hard he was. She didn't mind though. She didn't tense up the way she had the first couple of times she had felt him. She was much more comfortable now. In fact, she loved how it felt as he would rock against her, pressing into her. In the movement, her skirt would ruffle up and her panties would be exposed to him. She was nervous the first time that he would touch her or remove them, but he didn't. He never did. He just pressed against her strategically and it felt good, with his jeans and the hard bulge beneath them rubbing against her in just the right way. She'd get so wet; her panties would be soaked. And they'd moan together and he'd kiss her deeply. She had never felt so good.

The night before, he had gotten her out of her shirt and bra. He looked at her like she was the sexiest person he had ever seen, and she knew she was almost ready for all of it, with him. She took off his shirt too and stared at his sculpted chest until he leaned down and took one of her peaks in his mouth. She moaned loudly and he started to rub against her. He was wearing light grey sweats this time and it was a different feeling from the jeans, but it still felt amazing.

He was lavishing attention on her breasts as he was thrusting against her. She was getting close, to what she wasn't sure, but she wanted to feel him even more. She thrust her hips up to meet him and he moaned her name loudly. She liked having this power over him. She looked down between them and saw that his grey sweats were darker in the front. She did that. She was so wet that she could see herself on his pants. He began to rub against her more insistently; the pressure was amazing. The pleasure was becoming too much for her and she was moaning loudly now, as he was grunting above her. Then he stiffened, and she knew that he came. She looked down again and saw that a second wet spot joined the one she had made. It sent a thrill through her. They were mostly clothed and yet she was able to make him feel that good.

She was happy it wasn't awkward afterwards like she thought it would be. He lay beside her, facing each other so they would fit. He just held her and kissed her lazily and it was perfect.

She was smiling to herself while remembering the night before and mindlessly moving through the choreography for their new number, when she felt Finn's oversized hand slamming into her face. It was painful, really painful, and she didn't even realize she was on the ground until she felt Will's hands clutching her arms.

She looked back and saw Finn also kneeling next to her. He looked so worried. She wanted to tell him it wasn't entirely his fault. Sure, he couldn't dance and that definitely played a part, but she wasn't paying attention. She was too focused on the way Will's lips felt on her skin.

"Rachel?" Will's voice broke through her thoughts.

"I'm bleeding." And it hurt. She just wanted to curl up in his arms and cry.

"Okay everyone. That's it for today. We'll work on this again tomorrow." She heard him dismiss the class, his hands still gripping her arms. Then he turned back towards her and she felt him trying to get her to stand. "Come on, Rach. I'll take you to the doctor."

"I can take her Mr. Schue." She heard Finn offer.

"It's okay, Finn. I've got her." She smiled at that. She was glad Will was going to be there for her.

He dropped her off at home after the doctor's appointment. As she lay on her bed, all she could think about was what the doctor had said to her. He said she may benefit from rhinoplasty. Sure, she had thought about fixing her nose many times before but she thought it could have negative effect on her singing voice and she didn't want to damage that. But when the doctor told her that was a myth and it could possibly even help her voice, the idea of fixing her nose came back to her. She was surprised though that Will had argued with the doctor, saying it was still risky and unnecessary. She couldn't help but wonder though what it would be like if she had a less noticeable nose, maybe one like Quinn's. Maybe she could even get Quinn to help her out. It wouldn't hurt to go to the consultation and get a better idea of what she could look like.

XXX

Will was surprised two days later when Rachel and Quinn stood in front of glee and Rachel told them all she was getting a nose job. She hadn't said anything to him about it, and he didn't realize she took what the doctor said to heart. She was a beautiful girl, so very beautiful; she shouldn't be doing this. He watched as she pulled out pictures that showed what she would look like with Quinn's nose. It was all happing in slow motion as the picture got passed to him.

"Rachel, that doesn't even look like you," he said harshly. _Shit_, he thought to himself. He didn't mean to say that out loud, not in front of everyone. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his emotions. He would talk to her later. He was happy though that he had decided to do the 'Born This Way' lesson. Rachel would definitely benefit from it.

That night as Rachel sat next to him on the couch, curled up in his arms, he thought about what she planned to do. She still hadn't said anything to him about it. Why wasn't she talking to him?

"Rachel, I don't think you should do this." She pulled back from him, looking at him with confusion. But he knew she was putting on a ruse. He didn't understand why she was doing this. "The nose job, Rachel. I don't want you to get it."

She went from confused to angry as she pulled back even more. "You 'don't want me to get it'? I'm sorry; I didn't realize you had a say in this."

He sighed as he reached for her hand, "Rachel, you are beautiful. I just think that you might regret it if you do this. And there are risks."

She pulled her hand out of his reach and stood. "You were there when the doctor said this could actually help me. It can improve my voice."

"Your voice is already incredible! Honey, why are you really doing this? And why won't you talk to me?"

"Because," she yelled, "you're supposed to support me! This is what I want. This will make me feel better about myself. This could help me with my career. You should try to understand that and support me!"

She started walking towards his door, picking up her bag on the way. He quickly got up and followed her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him. He gently took her face in his and placed a light kiss on the nose he loved so much. "I am supporting you. I'm supporting the confident, beautiful Rachel, who wouldn't let what other people say bring her down. I'm fighting for her; I'm supporting you against the insecure girl who is making a mistake."

"Maybe all I am is the insecure girl. And if fixing my nose will help, then that's what I'm doing." She pulled out of his arms and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Will placed his forehead against the door. He had said the wrong thing. He knew it the moment it was said but he didn't know what else to do.

XXX

When the door shut behind her, Rachel leaned against it as the tears came. Why was he so against this? She was just getting her nose fixed a little. It wasn't like she was changing who she was. She'd still be Rachel Berry, just a little more confident. She took a deep breath before walking out to her car. It would be okay. She'd go tomorrow after school and it would be done.

When she got home, she grabbed a snack and then went up to her room. Sitting at her desk, looking up the details of the surgery she was about to have, she couldn't help but think about Will and what he said to her. He called her beautiful, several times. And he called her confident. He saw something in her that even she didn't see. She tried not to let things get to her, but in reality they did. She just hid that from everyone. But he saw her for who she really was. He loved her, even with her flaws.

She closed her laptop and after changing into her pajamas, climbed into her bed. She was conflicted. She had been so sure earlier, but now she didn't know what she wanted to do.

XXX

She woke up refreshed and sure of herself, of what she wanted. She needed to talk to Will but she had to get through the day first. She saw him a few times in the hall and in class. He looked like he wanted to talk to her but they couldn't. Besides, she thought it might be best to wait.

After class, she slowly made her way to the auditorium. She was meant to be heading to the doctor, but she called that morning and canceled the appointment. When she woke up, she knew. She knew he was right and that this surgery would be a regret one day if she went through with it. He saw that before she did; he loved her that much. She had woken up that morning completely sure that she didn't want to go through with it and completely sure of something else too, and she couldn't wait to tell him.

She watched from the back of the auditorium for a moment. He was looking at everyone on stage, in their shirts, and she saw his disappointed sigh when he didn't see her. She slowly walked towards the stage, interrupting them. The smile on his face was everything to her as she told them she had changed her mind and revealed her shirt.

As the performance began, she was watching in the wings with Will. She finally had some time alone with him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered from his side.

"No, don't be sorry. I could have handled this whole thing better."

She reached for his hand. No one would see them right now. "No, Will. I should be thanking you. I didn't go through with it because of what you said. Because of how it made me feel. You see me, who I really am. And with everything you said … I've never felt so loved before."

"Rachel—"

"I'm ready, Will." She watched his eyes widen as he realized what she was saying.

She smiled at him. "I'm ready."

* * *

_Thank you for reading! Don't forget to review. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your reviews. And thank you to everyone who has put this story on alert or favorites; it's overwhelming how many of you are reading this story! Please continue to let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always welcome. :) Thank you to my beta Joleigh13!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I'm ready."

Three days later and those words were still reverberating through Will's head. He knew she had to be close; things were very heated between them recently, but Will had been a little nervous about taking them beyond grinding – something he hadn't done since he'd been a teenager – until she told him he could. And now she had.

He almost jumped her in the wings the moment she told him but luckily she grabbed his hand and dragged him on-stage with the group. It had allowed him to think this through. This would be her first time; he wanted it to be special.

After rehearsal, they sat in the auditorium and discussed the plan. She would tell her dads she was spending the night with someone and she would stay Saturday night with him. He hated that this relationship meant she had to lie to her dads all the time but he knew it was real between them and that meant making some sacrifices to keep it alive.

He had thought about it for the next three days. He didn't want to just take her to bed the moment she walked in his apartment. He wanted to make sure she was completely comfortable. So, he decided they were going to have dinner, talk, maybe watch a movie, until she made the first move.

Will was just finishing the salad that would accompany their main course, when he heard a knock at the door. He was glad he had made that decision when he opened the door and saw a nervous Rachel on the other side. She was fidgeting; she never fidgeted. He smiled at her, taking her hand and pulling her inside.

"Hi," she said quietly.

He reached for her bag and laid it by the door. His eyes swept over her form. Her hair was softly curled, her makeup minimal, and she was wearing a dark blue dress that left him breathless.

"Hi," he responded. "Dinner is almost ready."

"Dinner?" she asked, and he could hear the surprise in her voice.

"Yeah, I thought we'd have dinner, watch a movie and then go from there."

She threw her arms around his neck and he started to get concerned. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to Rachel."

She squeezed him tighter and rushed to explain, "No. It's not that. I just didn't expect…" She pulled back to look him in the eye, smiling widely. "It's perfect, Will."

He felt a weight lift from his shoulders then, and he cradled her face with his hands to kiss her gently. "Why don't you take your bag to the bedroom, and I'll set the table."

She nodded at him before slipping off her shoes and moving her bag to the bedroom. Dinner went smoothly and Rachel excused herself to the bathroom after they were done, while Will set up the movie they had decided on. When she came out, Will was sitting on the couch, lights low and the movie paused. He looked over at her, standing in the doorway smiling at him, her eyes dark.

He slowly took her in, eyes raking over her body, appreciating every curve, every movement, as she slowly walked towards him. The mood had noticeably changed and he was sure they weren't going to be watching the movie. That was just fine with him; his jeans were starting to feel a little tight.

She stopped in front of him and slowly lifted the bottom of her dress high on her thighs so that she could straddle him. The tight dress bunched up higher with the movement, revealing even more of her creamy skin. She rested her hands on his shoulders and sat back on his knees. He looked down and saw black, lace panties exposed to him. This was new. During all their make-out sessions when her skirts would ride up, she was always wearing colored, cotton panties. He loved that but this was beyond his wildest fantasies.

His hands rested on her smooth thighs, rubbing them gently. He looked her in the eyes as he spoke. "You're gorgeous, Rach."

She gave him a shy smile, and he felt her hands move slowly to the buttons on his black shirt. As she slowly unbuttoned the first two, his hands moved up and over the material of her dress, rubbing up and down her sides before resting on her hips, squeezing gently.

She shifted and settled closer to him. Her soft hands made their way under the top of his shirt, resting on his upper chest. She leaned closer, pausing briefly to whisper, "I love you, Will."

Her lips met his, with such passion that he moaned. His slid a hand up her back and tangled it in her hair, pulling her even closer. He deepened the kiss, tongue dueling with hers. He wanted her to know with that kiss how much he loved her. Her hands continued their task until his shirt was hanging open and she was caressing his chest. His other hand returned to her thighs. Gently biting his lip, she pulled back. He almost, embarrassingly, whimpered at the loss of her lips, but then she moved her focus to his neck and he groaned instead.

The hand in her hair moved to her lower back, holding her close as the other reached the top of her thigh. His thumb reached out, brushing over her panties. He groaned again at the heat he felt and pressed a little harder, repeating the movement. She stiffened slightly and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and withdrawing his thumb. She was so wet and he didn't know how he was going to stop this if she had changed her mind but he knew he had to.

Her lips had left his skin, but her forehead was still resting on his shoulder. She hadn't pulled away completely.

"Rachel, nothing has to happen tonight if you don't want it to. I won't be mad."

She lifted her head then, hands moving to his shoulders, clutching them.

"No, I promise, I _do_ want it. I just…" She paused and her eyes briefly looked around the room before landing back on his, "I don't want to disappoint you."

Will smiled, reaching up to brush the bangs out of her eyes and cupping her cheek. "Rachel, honey, you could never disappoint me. This is going to be perfect because we love each other. Just follow your heart."

He saw the small smile, and the confidence he loved return to her eyes. She kissed him deeply before whispering, "Make love to me, Will."

He was momentarily overwhelmed by her words, by the trust she had in him. He felt so honored that she was choosing to give herself to him. He was going to make this perfect for her. And he would spend every day making sure he was worthy of her love and trust.

He crashed his lips to hers while wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly to him. He stood then, lifting her up with him. Her toned legs wrapped tightly around his waist and he carefully maneuvered them to his bedroom, their lips never breaking contact. He climbed on the freshly-made bed, laying her down gently in the center and holding himself above her. She reached for his shirt and pushed it off his arms before her hands dropped to his belt. He broke their kiss, rising to his knees. He took her hands in his and brought one up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to her palm.

"I want to take this slow, honey. You deserve everything and I'm going to do my best to give you that."

He watched a smile light her face before he leaned over her again, kissing her quickly on the mouth and trailing kisses to her neck. His hand found the side-zipper and he slowly lowered it as he kissed across her collarbone and down towards the top of her dress.

Rachel sighed and ran her hands through his curly hair, holding him close to her. When he began to tug on the dress, she lifted up to help him take it off. He pulled it down her body before dropping it to the floor.

His eyes swept over her body, covered only in black lace panties and matching strapless bra. She was so beautiful, and he didn't know how he was so lucky. He slid off the bed, standing briefly to discard his jeans and leaving him in only dark blue boxers.

Moving back to the bed, he started at the bottom, slowly kissing up her legs, his hands caressing her smooth skin. She spread her legs slightly as he reached her knee. He smiled into her skin and playfully nipped at her inner thigh.

The giggle that followed was music to his ears but he quickly turned it into a moan when he reached the apex of her thighs. He caressed her hip as his lips moved along the seam of her panties. He hovered over her center before placing a heated kiss over her panties.

She moaned his name and he looked up to find her dark eyes – darker than he had ever seen them – staring back at him, full of nothing but desire. He kept eye contact as he moved his mouth against her a second time. Her eyes shut tightly and she threw her head back with a loud moan. He teased her, applying as much pressure as he could with his mouth. She was so wet and she tasted as amazing as he knew she would.

He soon moved, continuing his exploration up her taut stomach. He could feel the muscles twitching under his lips and touch, and he smiled at the effect he had on her. It was the same one she had on him. He skipped over her chest, but his hands slid under her and unclasped the bra as his mouth reclaimed hers. He felt her hands on his back, her fingers pressing into his skin. He dropped the bra on the floor and lowered his head to her chest. He felt her fingernails as he took a nipple between his teeth.

"Oh god, Will." Her voice was heaven, and he groaned into her skin as his tongue soothed the hard peak. He repeated the action with the other as his hands moved down her body and grabbed the sides of her panties.

"Please, Will," was all he needed before he sat up and pulled the black lace down her legs. He took her in, laid out only for him.

"I love you, Rachel." She smiled widely at him and extended her arm. He took her hand and let her pull him down, their mouths fusing together.

He slipped his other hand between them and dipped his thumb between her thighs, slowly parting her wet folds and dragging it up to her swollen nub.

The rhythm of her lips faltered against his, and he swallowed her moans. He didn't break away as he explored her with his fingers. He wanted to make sure she was completely ready before moving forward. He wanted as little discomfort for her as possible. He knew he wouldn't last much longer though. He was impossibly hard.

He slid a finger inside her and broke away with a groan as he felt her tight walls. Rachel was breathing heavily and he knew she was already close. He stroked her slowly, watching her face as she experienced this for the first time. As he worked in a second finger, he felt her tense. He didn't move inside her, just kept his fingers still until she started to relax around him.

He moved his mouth to her chest, as he slowly pumped his fingers trying not to move too fast at her insistent moans. He wanted this to last for her. He moved down her stomach and placed a kiss over her center; this time the lace wasn't in the way. She cried out and he moaned, his tongue caressing her as his fingers continued their ministrations. His other hand moved to her stomach when she started moaning frantically and thrusting her hips up against him. She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him to her but he wasn't planning on going anywhere. He continued to kiss and lick and thrust as she fell over the edge. She was loud and it made him harder than he thought possible when he heard his name on her lips. He loved that she was just as vocal in his bed, that she didn't feel like she had to hold back with him.

He kept his mouth against her until she started to calm but he couldn't hold out any longer. He reached down and carefully pushed his boxers off.

Rachel watched him as he reached for the nightstand, and pulled out the newly-purchased box of condoms. He silently cursed himself for not opening them before as he struggled with it. Rachel's small hands running over his chest were not helping either. Finally he got it open, quickly grabbing a condom and throwing the box towards the drawer. He took a deep breath, as he unwrapped the package and gently rolled on the condom.

He laid his body against Rachel's and relished the feeling of being with her this way. She placed her hand against his cheek and he kissed her, positioning himself at her entrance. Her hands moved to his arms which were holding him above her and she squeezed as he slowly pushed inside her. She was almost painfully tight, and he knew it must be hurting her. She just took a deep breath and felt her relax around him slightly. His eyes never left hers and he could see every emotion, but love outweighed all others.

He pulled back, only to push in deeper. He repeated the motion, this time pushing deep inside her. He was relieved when she let out a quiet moan. She felt so good around him and he could barely believe this was real. He held still inside her. He needed a moment or this was going to be over too soon. He shut his eyes tightly, taking even breaths to calm himself down.

"Will, I'm okay." He barely registered her voice until he felt her walls fluttering around him.

"Will please, move." The urgency in her voice was almost enough but he held on and leaned down to kiss her. When they broke apart, he began to thrust into her. Her moans returned, as he began grunting above her.

"Honey, you feel so good," he groaned. Her legs locked around him, allowing him to thrust deeper.

"Oh Will, I'm close." He sped up his movements and she met his thrusts. It wasn't long before she was coming apart again. Her small hand reached around his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him roughly. He followed right behind her, his head buried in her neck, her name on his lips, as he gave into his release. He held her to him, careful not to crush her beneath him, until their breathing returned to normal.

He pulled out, quickly taking care of the condom and returning to the bed. They climbed under the covers and he gathered her in his arms, holding her close to him, his face buried in her hair. His hand stroked her side lovingly and he kissed her temple before settling into the pillows.

Rachel melted into Will's body, head on his shoulder and hand resting over his heart. She was still struggling to fully catch her breath. What just happened was more than she ever imagined and she smiled as Will pulled her closer, his arms secure around her. She placed a lazy kiss on his neck and threw her leg over his. This was perfect. She knew it might have been silly but she felt like she belonged there, like she was meant to be in his arms. She always wanted this feeling but she wasn't sure it would ever happen; she started to think that it was unrealistic. But now she knew it was real and she was lucky enough to find it with Will.

They hadn't said anything but it wasn't awkward. She knew they were both taking in the moment. She closed her eyes and started to fall into a light sleep but abruptly opened them when she heard her phone ringing from her bag next to his door. Someone had sent her a text message. She wanted to ignore it. She never wanted to leave Will's arms but she couldn't help wondering who it was. What if it was one of her dads? She didn't want to raise any suspicions by not responding.

"I should check that," she whispered, "in case it is one of my dads."

"Okay," Will responded, his voice rough. She looked up at him; his eyes were closed and he had a small smile on his face. She stretched up and placed a kiss to his lips before, reluctantly, untangling herself from his arms.

She walked to her bag, looking through it for her phone. When she found it, she turned back to the bed. Will was staring at her hungrily; she hadn't bothered covering up. She smiled shyly, feeling her cheeks heat under his gaze, and quickly padded back to the bed, phone in hand.

She slid under the covers, sitting back against the headboard. Will turned on his side towards her, his strong arm snaking across her stomach, and placed a kiss on her shoulder. She smiled as she opened her phone; she had two missed called from her dad and a text message. The text message was from Mercedes, which was odd. As she read the text, the smile slipped off her face and was replaced with a furrowed brow and frown.

**Ur dad just called my house? I told him u were in the bathroom but u should call him back soon. Y does he think ur at my house?**

Rachel sighed. Why would they call her tonight? She silently thanked Mercedes for covering for her, but this was just something else she would have to explain now.

"Who was it?" Will quietly asked.

"Mercedes. My dad called her house. I should call him back."

"You should."

"Okay. It'll just be a minute." She didn't want to get out of bed. She thought it would be a little weird to make the call while she and Will were lying naked next to each other, but Will's arm tightened around her and she realized he didn't want her to go anywhere either.

She quickly dialed the number. Her dad answered immediately.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I'm at Mercedes' house. I told you I was spending the night with her. I'm sorry I missed your call. We were downstairs and I left my phone upstairs."

Her heart was pounding at the pause on her dad's end. If Mercedes let on, even just a little, that she wasn't there, her dad would not give up until he got the truth.

"Your father and I got worried when you didn't answer."

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry." She let out a sigh of relief but tensed when Will began stroking her side with his fingertips and his lips caressing her skin. She tried to block out what she was feeling and the heat between her thighs. "Why were you calling?"

"Your dad has to go to Chicago for a last-minute business deal, and I'm going to go with him. You know how much I love Chicago. We are leaving first thing in the morning. I wanted to make sure you would be okay for a few days."

Rachel suppressed a moan as Will's hand stroked her inner thigh, dangerously close. "Um, yeah. I'll be fine."

"Okay sweetie. We've left some money on the kitchen counter. Call if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks dad." She grabbed Will's hand, trying to hold it still as he cupped her.

"I love you. Have fun tonight."

"Thanks. Have a good trip." She quickly shut the phone, just as Will's fingers started wiggling against her.

"Mmmm, Will!" she said, letting go of his hand. "That was not nice."

Will chuckled as he slid his finger inside her. "I guess I couldn't help myself."

"I was on the phone with my dad!" She was not going to let him off the hook, no matter how good he was making her feel at the moment.

"It's okay. Think of it as acting practice. You did good."

She laughed at that, before nuzzling into him and moaning as he slid a second finger inside her.

"You are not thinking clearly right now."

He smiled, pressing his erection into her leg. "I'm really not."

She felt a flutter in her stomach, as he attached his lips to her neck and continued to stroke her with strong fingers. She was excited that they were about to do this again. She was nervous the first time, a little afraid that she wouldn't do something right, but it was great and after the initial discomfort, it felt better than she imagined. Now that she had a better idea of what to do, she knew it was going to be that much more.

She let her hand fall between them and wrap around his large member. Squeezing gently, she began to stroke him at the same pace as he was her.

"Oh god, Rach," he groaned into her neck.

She moved her hand faster, turning her head to meet his lips. The first time was slow and gentle, and she was so glad that he set that pace, but this time, she didn't want slow. She moved her hand from around him to his chest, pushing him to lie on his back. It caused his fingers to lose contact with her but she was ready. She reached over the edge of the bed for the box of condoms that had landed on the floor. She quickly unwrapped one and rolled it on to Will the way she had seen him do it earlier.

His hands cupped her face as she straddled him and he pulled her down to kiss him. Rachel rubbed against him, both moaning at the motion. She sat up to guide him inside her. His hands moved to her hips as she sank down on him. She rested her hands on his chest. This was a different sensation for her, but she found she really enjoyed it.

She slowly started rocking against him, and he helped guide her motions until she was used to it. Before she knew it, she was moving faster, rolling her hips as his were thrusting up to meet hers. She couldn't help her loud moans. She could tell before that he loved it when she said his name, so she made sure to do that often.

She felt herself getting close again. She leaned forward over him, her hands moving next to his head. She leaded down to kiss him and the slight shift in their position was what she needed. He hit her perfectly, as he thrust up into her faster. "Oh Will, just a little more."

He doubled his efforts and she soon devolved into moans as it felt like she exploded. Her movements slowed and he flipped them over, continuing to thrust inside her. Rachel was surprised to find herself on the precipice once again.

"Faster Will." He complied with her pleas and she held him close to her. He soon tensed above her, her name falling from her lips.

After, they lay together in silence, Rachel's head on Will's chest and his arms around her. She couldn't help but feel so loved and safe in his arms. She soon fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat and the feeling that things were exactly as they should be.

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_Thank you so much for reading. Please take a moment to review! :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Hey everyone. After an extended hiatus, I am back! I've missed this story and I've missed all of you. I'm so sorry for the delay; it won't happen again. This chapter is shorter than my previous ones but it is more of a transition and sets up a little of what is to come. Please let me know what you think. Reviews motivate me greatly and I'm always open to constructive criticism!

Thank you to my beta Joleigh13!

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**Chapter 6**

It was nothing Rachel had ever expected but over the course of the last few months, she had fallen utterly and completely in love with Will. Consummating that relationship, sharing herself with him fully, made her feel as though nothing could touch them; however, the situation was complicated and dangerous and she knew they wouldn't be in the clear until after she graduated. They had a long way to go but after their weekend together, Rachel had never felt more confident about anything.

That's why she hadn't expected Mercedes to pull her aside after glee that Monday. Rachel was confused by the tone in her voice but agreed to go home with her to talk. On the ride to her house, Rachel grew more and more nervous. Did Mercedes know something? She and Will had been so careful; she didn't know how anything could be suspected. She drove silently behind Mercedes, rehearsing her excuse for Saturday over and over again. Once they got to their destination and up to Mercedes' bedroom, Rachel sat on cross legged on the bed, nervously playing with her hands. The other diva watched her curiously.

"I didn't want to bring this up at school. You never know who might be listening," Mercedes said softly, surprising Rachel.

"I can explain why I told my dads I was here on Saturday," Rachel interjected quickly, silently cursing herself for sounding desperate. She never really thought about what would happen if she was in this situation, if someone possibly knew about her and Will. The truth was she was a great actress but a terrible liar. She had to do it though, for Will. He couldn't get into trouble because of her.

Mercedes held her hands up. "Rachel, I don't want to know. You don't have to explain."

"Mercedes, please. Let me—"

"No," she interrupted firmly, throwing the brunette off. "It isn't my business. I don't want you to explain. Just give me a warning next time. If I hadn't come up with that lie as fast as I did, you would be in trouble right now."

Rachel sat stunned that Mercedes wasn't upset. They had never been the best of friends but she was glad what little progress they had made wasn't ruined. She also couldn't believe that Mercedes was willing to lie for her. Rachel had always gotten the impression that Mercedes believed everyone catered to her and didn't want to upset her. That made this all the more shocking.

"Thank you, Mercedes. I am sorry I put you on the spot and in that situation."

"Be careful, Rachel. He's much older than you." Mercedes said bluntly but with a kindness in her voice.

Rachel's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"We both know what I am talking about. Don't act like you don't know," Mercedes warned.

Rachel was silent a moment before looking the other girl in the eye. "I love him," she stated simply.

"I know you do. You've been happy and less annoying and that's my only reason for not turning him in right now."

"Mercedes, please! You can't tell anyone!"

"Rachel, calm down. I'm not going to. Just promise me you'll be careful? That you know what you are doing? We may not always see eye to eye but I do care about you. I don't want to see him hurt you."

"He's not going to hurt me," she said confidently.

"I hope you are right. I hope for his sake you are. I'll take him down if he does. … or if you get the solos that are rightfully mine," she finished, teasing Rachel and lightening the mood.

Rachel laughed softly, still a little nervous that someone knew. She didn't know what to do next. Should she tell Will? Would he end it if he knew? He was so set on no one finding out. This could ruin everything. She took a deep breath and swiped at the tears she didn't even realize had gathered in her eyes. "Thank you, Mercedes."

"You're welcome. Now, let's discuss prom…"

XXX

Prom night arrived and, though Rachel was excited to be going with her friends, performing for her classmates and dressed in a simple, flowy pink dress she had salvaged from a thrift store, she wished she could dance with Will, her boyfriend, at her prom. Instead, she was quickly becoming the third wheel in the trio she was a part of for the evening. She was surprised to see Sam and Mercedes hitting it off so well but she would have to admit that they were cute together. She couldn't help but smile when they laughed at each other's jokes and talked in hushed tones. She and Mercedes had slowly become friends over the past year but since their conversation earlier that week, she felt even closer to the fellow diva. It felt good to know that there was someone in her corner.

Rachel smiled brightly as Mercedes and Sam both pulled her out to the dance floor when a fast, poppy tune came on. She really was having a good time dancing with the glee club; it was the slow songs that made her a little melancholy. They were played in pairs to allow the couples more time to dance together but dancing in Sam's arms wasn't the same as dancing in Will's, and she knew exactly how Will's arms would feel around her. It didn't help that he was here as a chaperone. As she danced, she caught his eyes over Sam's shoulder and returned his small smile. It was a sweet gesture but it was hard for her to deal with. The difficulty of their relationship seemed to be suddenly staring her in the face and she hated it.

After another round of dancing, she made her way off of the dance floor as Sam and Mercedes swayed together to the slow music. Sitting down at a table, she tried not to focus on all of the other couples and instead found herself staring at the tablecloth, lost in thought. She didn't even notice when someone sat next to her, only to be drawn out of her daze as the person's foot tapped against her own. She looked over and was surprised to see Will sitting a respectable distance away. He was not looking at her, instead scanning the crowd and watching the students. Nothing would seem out of the ordinary to anyone else because to everyone else he was merely her teacher, nothing more.

"Are you having a good time, Rachel?" he asked, his eyes still watching the dance floor. He sounded like any teacher would while talking to a student and it didn't sit well with her.

"I'm having a wonderful time, Mr. Schuester. Thank you for asking." There was a small waver in her voice and she hoped he didn't hear it.

Rachel tried to smile as he tapped his foot against hers once again but found herself fighting tears instead. She stood abruptly, mumbling an "excuse me," before heading to the exit of the gym. She was on the way to the restroom when she realized that anyone could be in there. She didn't want to have to explain this. She took a detour, going to Will's office instead; no one would find her there. She didn't have to worry about reining in her emotions.

XXX

Will sighed softly as Rachel got up from the table and left the gym. He could see how shiny her eyes were. He hated that she was hurting. He had been watching her all night and she seemed to be having a good time, but he knew how hard this must be for her. He wished he could give her this. He wished that he could dance with her in front of everyone. But he couldn't. As the second slow song began, Will stood from the table and slipped out of the gym unnoticed.

The first place he looked was his office. He wasn't sure why but he knew she would be there. He was proven right when he heard her soft sobs as he opened the door. His heart broke at the sight in front of him. Rachel was sitting in the chair in front of his desk with her head in her hands. He quickly but quietly closed the door behind him, smiling softly when he realized he could still hear the music.

He slowly walked over to her and held out his hand, speaking softly. "May I have this dance?"

Rachel's head snapped up at the sound and her red eyes almost killed him. But when she gave him a small smile and placed her hand in his, Will smiled brightly.

"I would love to," she said quietly. He squeezed her hand gently as she stood.

Reaching out, he wiped the tears from her face and pulled her to him. He rested their joined hands on his chest and wrapped his other arm around her waist. Swaying to the music, Rachel's head lay against his shoulder.

"You look absolutely beautiful tonight, Rachel," he whispered.

"Thank you. You look very handsome in your tux," she said into his chest. "Thank you for this," she said softly, as she squeezed his upper arm.

"I'm sorry that it has to be in my office, and that I can't dance with you out there. I'm sorry I can't give you everything you deserve." He had been thinking about it all night, how who he was and what they were, wasn't fair to her.

She shook her head slightly before pulling back and looking up at him. "You give me everything I could ever want," she said, focusing on his eyes and pleading with him to believe her.

Breaking his own rule, Will leaned down slightly, giving her a soft kiss. The kiss quickly changed into something else. Their lips moved fervently against each other and Will swiped his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for entrance. When she opened her mouth to him, a slight moan coming from her, Will took advantage of it, sliding his tongue in her mouth and letting it dance with hers.

The kiss was deep and heated. Will wrapped his arms around her, guiding her to the nearest wall. He knew where this was heading and though Will promised himself he would never cross that line at school, he didn't want to stop it. Rachel's small hands were gripping at his biceps, pulling him closer to her. Will pressed his body against her and reached into his back pocket. He pulled back from her lips, looking through his wallet for the condom he had put there, as Rachel started to work on his pants, unbuckling his belt and quickly making work of the zipper, pushing them and his boxers down.

They both knew this would be quick; the music had changed to a faster dance beat and he was sure people would start to wonder where both had gone. Still, he paused while opening the condom, as he felt Rachel's small hand encircling him, slowly but firmly moving up and down.

"Oh my god, honey," Will let out as he dropped his head to her shoulder. "That feels so good."

She responded by kissing his neck, her teeth grazing over his skin. Will quickly put on the condom, bending down slightly to push the bottom of her dress up, lifting her up at the same time. She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. Pushing her panties to the side, Will tested her with two fingers. She moaned softly, her face resting in the crook of his neck. She was ready and Will didn't wait to push into her. They both let out sounds as they connected. They didn't have a lot of time.

He let her adjust before he began moving inside her. The music was a faster pace and Will found his thrusts unconsciously matching the beat. She was biting down on his neck, trying to stay quiet and Will was trying to hold back any sounds as well. It was fast and hard and so good. It wasn't long before she fell over the edge and he felt her tighten around him, causing his own release.

They stayed like that for a moment, Rachel against the door, Will resting against her, both catching their breath. Slowly lowering her legs, Rachel found herself being placed gently on the ground. Her hands rested on his chest and she looked up at him though dark lashes. His eyes were dark and hers reflected the same desire. He leaned towards her; she quickly returned the kiss. Both knew they had to get back out there but they took a couple more minutes just for them. After cleaning up and situating their clothes, Rachel gave him a sweet smile before heading back to the dance floor.

She walked into the gym a little brighter, happier about the whole night. She had gotten her dance with Will and that was all she wanted though being with him helped too. Feeling that connection, made her feel loved and safe. She never really thought she would have that feeling in her life and she was never going to let it go. It wasn't long before it was time for her solo. As she got up on the make shift stage, she looked out at the people, smiling softly as she saw Will re-enter the gym, standing against a wall in the back.

The music started and as she sang 'A Thousand Years ' by Christina Perri, her eyes never left Will's; she had chosen it for him to express just how she felt, to express how much she needed him and loved him and never wanted to leave his side. She never even noticed the tall, football player in front of him. He was dancing with the beautiful Quinn Fabray, but his eyes showed hope as they were focused only on the brunette.

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_I hope you all enjoyed this. Please let me know what you think!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**A/N: **Hey everyone, I really hope you enjoy this new chapter. I will try to get the next one up within a couple of weeks. Please let me know what you think. They reviews really add motivation and since there has been a lack of Will/Rachel fics, the motivation is very much needed! Thanks, as always, for reading!

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It had been a long, hard day, harder than Rachel imagined it would be. She didn't know Coach Sylvester's sister and Coach Sylvester had never been nice to her, but Rachel couldn't help getting worked up over all the emotion. When Will had gotten up in front of the church and took over the reading of the eulogy, she couldn't help but fall apart a little. The two had always been at odds, but for him to get up and do that just proved how wonderful a man he really was.

When Rachel got home later that afternoon, she told her dads she was going to take a nap. She had plans to see Will that night and she didn't want to fall asleep on him. She laid down on her bed, still in her black dress and soon drifted off to sleep. She woke some time later, confused by a knock on her door; her dads wouldn't bother her, so she was confused about whom it might be. She slowly got up from the bed as she heard another knock followed by "Rach?"

Rachel cringed as she heard Finn use her nickname. She didn't like the sound of it coming from him anymore. "I'm coming," she told him as she padded over to the door. She didn't understand why he was there. He was with Quinn; he shouldn't be showing up at her home on a Saturday afternoon uninvited.

"Hi," Finn said with a dopey smile.

"What are you doing here, Finn?" she asked, resisting the urge to roll her eyes when he just walked further in her room.

"I really needed to talk to you," he told her as he turned to face her. "I broke up with Quinn," he announced with a smile on his face.

Rachel's forehead wrinkled. "Why would you do that?" she asked slowly.

"So we can be together," he responded as though it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Rachel's confusion grew. She hadn't given him any indication that she wanted to get back together. She had been upset when he broke up with her, but the few hours she spent with Will just before Christmas showed her that she wasn't anymore. All she wanted from that point on was to be with Will. Moving on so quickly, finding what she had with Will, made her realize it was never really true love with Finn.

Rachel shook her head slowly. "Why do you think I want to get back together with you? I don't," she said bluntly. "And I can't believe you broke up with Quinn! It's clear that she loves you and I think you love her. You have to go to her," she said trying to usher him out of her room. "Apologize and tell her you were wrong and confused."

"No," Finn said, breaking away from her and moving back towards the center of the room. "You sang that song at prom. To me!" he told her, starting to get upset. "You couldn't stop looking at me and I could see how much you love me. It was all over your face and in your eyes. You can't just take something like that back."

He moved forward, gently placing his hand on the back of her head. He bent down and kissed her, causing a squeal of shock, before Rachel used both hands to push on his chest and move him away.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked. "I wasn't singing that song to you. I was singing to… no one," she said, catching herself. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I'm sorry Finn, but I'm just not interested in a relationship with you anymore. I think you should go to Quinn and tell her you were being an idiot. She loves you and you need to leave here and fix it."

Rachel marched over to her door and held it open, indicating that he should leave. When she looked back, she noticed Finn standing there, looking even more confused and a little hurt. Rachel let out a quiet sigh. Her shoulders dropped slightly and her tone softened. Her defensive posture slipped away.

"Finn," she said softly, not wanting to see him hurt. They may not be together anymore but she still cared about him. She wanted him happy and knew that he could be with Quinn. He was just confused. For two years she had chased after him relentlessly and clung to him when they were together, trying desperately to make him see that she was the one he wanted. Looking back, she could see clearly now that he was just the first guy that showed interest, that liked her for her. He was the first guy that that she had strong feelings for, that made her feel safe and loved. She was so afraid that she would never find that again with someone else. Her insecurities had taken root and she had tried to get him to come back, to stay with her. She knew now that these fears weren't true and she had Will and his love to prove it.

She looked at Finn as he spoke again. "You don't want to be with me?" he asked, sounding as though he understood better.

"I'm sorry, Finn. I guess I just realized that we weren't right for each other. You're an amazing guy," she told him, stepping forward and offering him a small smile. "And you are going to make Quinn or another girl very happy. They are going to be so lucky to have you; that girl just isn't me. I'm so sorry."

"You really think that? You think Quinn will take me back?" Finn asked, his own insecurities on display.

Rachel let out a puff of air, smiling. "Definitely. She might make you beg, but she loves you and she'll just be happy that you finally figured this out," she joked.

Finn smiled slightly. "Thank you, Rachel."

"You're welcome," she said, standing on her toes to give him a hug. "I really do care about you Finn Hudson, and I want you to be happy."

"I want that for you too, Rach." The nickname didn't sound so bad this time. "I should go to Quinn's apartment," he told her, "start begging for forgiveness." He laughed slightly and Rachel gave him an encouraging smile.

"It will be okay," she promised, as she ushered him to the door. "I'm glad you came by," she told him honestly. They needed this sense of closure. It was good for both of them. "I'll see you at school on Monday," she said with a smile as he said good bye, leaving her room and heading downstairs.

Rachel sighed happily at the turn of events before she decided it was time to get ready for her date with Will.

She emerged from her room an hour later, showered and dressed. She made her way down to the kitchen and smiled at her dad sitting in the living room.

"Going out, pumpkin?" Hiram asked, as he got up and followed her into the kitchen. "Are you and Finn finally back together?"

"No daddy," Rachel said with a small smile. "Finn and I are not going to get back together. I don't like him like that anymore," she told him, stopping there before she revealed that there was someone else. That was the hardest part about this whole thing. She didn't care that she and Will had to sneak around and that she couldn't tell her friends. But she wished she could tell her dads. She never kept anything from them and that she had to now, was the only thing that made this situation feel wrong. She just wished they could know but she was scared enough to tell Will that Mercedes knew. She didn't think she could ask him about telling her dads, too. He was so set on no one finding out that she didn't know if he would seriously consider ending this relationship. She understood his fear. He had so much more to lose than she did, and she would do everything she could to make sure nothing would put him in jeopardy.

She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't realize her dad was still talking to her.

"I'm sorry, daddy. My mind was somewhere else. What did you say?" she asked with a smile, as she grabbed what she needed to make tea.

"I just asked, if it isn't Finn that's got you so happy all the time lately then who is it?" he repeated curiously. "You haven't been talking about anyone. I'm just interested."

Rachel shrugged her shoulders slightly. "There isn't anyone, daddy," she said, putting the kettle on the stove.

"No one, huh? I don't see you dress up like this for no one."

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not dressed up. I'm just going to visit my friend."

"One you've been spending a lot of time with," Hiram pushed. "Who is this friend?"

"Daddy, I told you about Sam and his family," she sighed. "I've been hanging out with him and helping to watch his brother and sister. They are really cute," she said, using the story she had come up with a couple of weeks earlier. Every time she had to lie to one of her dads, she felt like she was going to cry. She hated this.

"So, what are you and dad doing tonight?" she asked, trying to change the subject. She focused on pouring the water for her tea and avoiding the scrutinizing look from Hiram.

There was a pause before he let it drop. "Well, we're having dinner at one of my client's houses. We shouldn't be too late but as always we expect you home by 11," he told her.

"I will be daddy, I promise." She took her tea to the kitchen table, joining her dad.

"Which client's house are you going to?" she asked. "Are you going to one of the fancy one's in the Gomer neighborhood?"

"No, it's one of my pro bono clients actually. He lives in an apartment not too far from here. Said his wife is an amazing cook."

"Oh," Rachel said, sounding disappointed as her other father joined them in the kitchen.

"Hello Munchkin," LeRoy said, kissing Rachel on the head and sitting down at the table with his family. "Did you have a good nap, sweetheart? I hope it's okay that I let Finn up. He said he had good news and I thought maybe you two kids had worked things out."

"Finn and I are not together! We won't be again! I don't want Finn!" Rachel snapped, surprising both of her fathers.

LeRoy held up his hands. "Okay, okay," he told her, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you and Finn had moved on. I just want you to be happy, sweetheart."

"I am happy, dad. Thank you though. I'm sorry I snapped. That was rude of me." She said quietly. She had been trying not to be as abrasive now that she was dating Will. He made her want to be a better person. Hiram and LeRoy exchanged curious looks at her quick apology.

"That's okay, pumpkin," Hiram told her. "We just want you happy."

She gave him a small smile, before finishing her tea. "I'm going to brush my teeth and head out," she told them as she rinsed her cup. "I'm watching Sam's siblings tonight. Sam and his parents have to work," she said, not making eye contact with either of them. "I'll be back by 11," she promised before heading up the stairs to get ready.

xxx

"Will?" Rachel asked softly as she cuddled against him on the couch. After dinner the pair decided to watch a movie. As _Shakespeare in Love_ played softly, Rachel let her mind wander. It was getting harder keeping this from people and she thought that maybe if she knew exactly what this was to Will, exactly where it was going, it would give her the strength to keep going for the year or so they had left. Graduation day had never seemed so far away.

"Hmmm?" Will responded as Joseph Fiennes' Shakespeare became inspired to write his most famous work.

"Where do you see us going?" she asked softly, a little afraid of the answer, though she knew she shouldn't be. He wouldn't be with her if this was a short-term thing, but the confirmation was still needed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling away slightly so that he could look at her. She sat up and turned to face him.

"I mean, what do you see for us when you look in the future? Six years from now, where do you see us?" she clarified, starting small.

"In six years, we'll be married," he said without any hesitation, causing her heart to swell. The way he said it, with no thought or second guessing but instead so honest and open, made her incredibly happy.

She tried to contain her smile and tears, but the smile peaked through and a few of the tears fell. Will reached out and wiped at the tears. "Hey, what is it?" he asked softly.

Rachel shook her head. "No, it's good. That's what I want, Will. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"There's no one else for me," he confirmed. "You're it."

Rachel smiled brightly before leaning up to kiss him deeply. Her hand rested on his cheek and her other arm snaked around his neck, holding him close. His arms wrapped around her and he smiled into the kiss, squeezing her firmly. Sighing into his mouth, she let her body relax. She felt so safe and loved. She never wanted to leave his arms and was overjoyed that she wouldn't have to; this was hers for the rest of her life and she never felt more comfortable with a thought.

She had to tell him. She couldn't keep this from him. Their relationship was built on trust and she would never forgive herself if he found out some other way.

She pulled back slowly, resting her hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Mercedes knows," she said softly.

He didn't say anything and she couldn't read him, so she decided she should elaborate.

"I didn't tell her," she told him. "She figured it out on her own, but she promised she wouldn't say anything to anyone and I believe her. We'll be okay Will," she rushed growing concerned by his continued silence.

She watched him process the information. She also watched the fear that appeared in his eyes for a split second before he masked it. She didn't know what to do or say. She wanted to reassure him, to make sure he knew that she would do everything she could to protect him. She let out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding when he squeezed her close and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"We'll be okay," he said softly, and she wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure but she held him tighter.

"She promised, Will. I really think it will be okay. She said it was obvious I was happy and as long as it stayed that way she had no reason to say anything," she paused. He still wasn't saying anything more.

"Should I have not told you?" she asked quietly. Maybe it would have been better if he didn't know.

"No, no. It's good that you told me," he assured her. "I don't want us to keep anything from each other," he said as he pulled back, cupping her cheek. "We'll be okay," he told her with more confidence. Leaning forward, he kissed her again. "I love you," he mumbled against her lips.

She didn't respond and instead got lost in the kiss. She pressed her body against his as she straddled his lap. She felt him respond beneath her and rubbed herself against him as she grew more and more ready. She wanted him now. She needed the connection. She climbed off his lap quickly and reached under her skirt pulling her underwear off. Will's eyes followed the material as it fell down her legs, his mouth parted slightly and the bulge in his pants grew.

Dropping to her knees between his legs, she had a small smirk on her face. This was going to be a first for her. She had never done this but she had been researching it online, and she hoped she would make him feel good. She could feel the reaction between her legs at just the thought of what she was about to do. She smiled up at Will, as she reached for the button on his pants, licking her lips slowly. His eyes widened.

"Rach," he said, his voice scratchy and full of desire but there was some hesitance.

"I want to," she said quietly.

He nodded slightly and lifted his hips so she could pull down his jeans and boxers. She watched as he sprung from his pants and grasped him gently, giving him a few strokes before taking part of him in her mouth. He immediately moaned and she took pride in it being because of her.

She started moving, using a combination of techniques she had read about. From the sounds he was making, she was getting it right. It was a new and interesting sensation, having him in her mouth, but she liked it. She especially liked when his hand found its way to her head, combing through her hair and holding her close. She looked up at him and was surprised to find him looking back at her, his eyes so dark. She kept eye contact with him as she started to taste him. She liked it, much more than she thought she would but wasn't sure she would if it was anyone else.

She pulled back and reached for the drawer of the end table. She pulled out a condom she knew was there and quickly rolled it on his still hard member before climbing onto his lap. She was still completely dressed except for the underwear she removed.

She lined herself up with him and sank down slowly. She liked being with him in every way, but she really liked being on top like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he filled her completely. She was careful not to kiss him, having read that guys didn't like that after what she just did, but it seemed that Will didn't mind. He gently cupped her face and kissed her deeply. When he pulled back, she smiled as his arms wrapped around her tightly. She began to move on top of him, setting the pace.

She was loud, as he hit her in just the right way over and over again. She liked how deep he was inside her. They didn't say anything, just moans and grunts as they moved together as one, Rachel falling over the edge just moments before he joined her.

He remained inside of her for several moments after, as their breathing returned to normal. Rachel rested her forehead against his shoulder, her lips pressing against his skin. "I love you too," she whispered softly.

Will pulled her as close as he could before he reluctantly moved her off of him. She helped, moving to the side so that he could leave to take care of the condom. Smiling lazily, she settled back into the couch.

Will soon came back in only his boxers, holding out his hand. "We still have a couple of hours. Let's go rest in bed," he suggested and Rachel happily took his hand, squeezing it as he led her to the other room.

When they got there, Will began to slowly undress her, his hands roaming across her body, between her legs. Taking his time, he began to kiss down her body slowly and thoroughly, paying special attention to her most sensitive areas and bringing her over the edge once more. After, they cuddled, their naked bodies pressed flush together.

"You were incredible today," she told him softly after several minutes of silence. "The way you got up there and finished the eulogy for Coach Sylvester was amazing. I was so proud of you, and I'm so, so lucky to have you in my life."

Her head was resting on his chest and his hand was holding hers, the other stroking her hair.

"I couldn't stop watching you when you were all up there singing. The way everyone put that together was amazing, and you looked beautiful."

"Thank you, Will, for loving me so much. I never thought I would have this. I'm so glad I do, and that it's with you." She wrapped her arm around him and squeezed him close before noticing the time.

"I have to go," she said quietly and reluctantly. "My dads expect me home at 11."

"I hate when you leave," Will told her.

Rachel hid her face in his chest, trying to hold back tears. "Me too," she agreed, placing a kiss over his heart. She just wanted to stay curled up in his arms all night.

"Come on," he finally said, sitting up with her. "Let's get dressed and I'll walk you to your car."

As they dressed and Rachel fixed her hair, they discussed the next weekend and made plans to see each other. Rachel hoped that she would be able to spend the night. She needed to wake up with him in the morning.

Will walked her out of the building, his hand on the small of her back. It was dark and Will wasn't very concerned about someone seeing them. When they made it to her car, Rachel turned around to face him, leaning against the metal.

"I hate leaving," she told him again. "I just want to stay here."

Will placed his hands on her hips and pressed against her. He leaned down, kissing her gently.

"You're teasing me," she pouted playfully. She could feel him slightly through his sweat pants and she knew she needed to leave before they ended up having sex on the car.

"I can't help it," he smiled wickedly. "But I'll see you soon, and I'll call you tomorrow," he told her with a small kiss.

Rachel nodded and unlocked the door. Will held it open as she climbed in. Once in place, Will bent down and poked his head in the car, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss that lasted several minutes.

"I love you," he whispered as he pulled back slightly. "Drive safely and text me when you get home, okay?" he asked her.

"I will, I promise," she nodded. "I love you too."

He gave her another peck before standing up and shutting her door. Rachel drove off, giving him a small wave. Watching until she was out of sight, he sighed softly as he turned and walked back up to his apartment, happily.

The couple never noticed the two people sitting across the parking lot in their own car. Two people who knew exactly who they were and witnessed the entire, intimate moment in disbelief.

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_Thank you for reading! Don't forget to review. It only takes a minute. =)_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**A/N:** Thank you so much for sticking with me everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter and you can expect a new on within a couple of weeks. Please read and review. I'd love to hear what you think about it so far!

* * *

"That wasn't- I'm- He wouldn't, she wouldn't- not our little girl," Hiram stuttered in disbelief as he sat in the car with LeRoy after witnessing Will Schuester kissing their daughter.

The fathers had just finished a pleasant dinner at the home of one of Hiram's clients and were about to drive home when they saw their daughter wrapped up in the arms of her glee coach.

LeRoy sat in shock as he watched the older man pin Rachel to the car and lean down to kiss her. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing.

"This is unbelievable," Hiram said starting to open the door.

"What are you doing?!" LeRoy said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.

"I'm going to give that Will Schuester a piece of my mind and then I'm calling the police," he told his husband.

"No you are not," he said firmly. "We don't know for sure what this is and we shouldn't act rashly."

"Don't know for sure what this is?" Hiram asked, bewildered. "LeRoy, you saw the same thing I just did. I don't think we need to know anything else. And why are you so calm about this?" He was baffled by his husband's cool demeanor.

"I'm very upset about this, believe me," LeRoy assured him, before taking a deep breath, "but we need to think this through. Let's go home and talk this out. We need to give this some consideration before we ruin a man's life," he explained as he started up the car.

Hiram stared at him in disbelieving silence. He couldn't understand why his husband was being so calm. It was very clear what had transpired that night and who knew how long this had been going on.

"That's our little girl," Hiram repeated quietly.

"I know it is and-"

"She's 17 and he's her teacher. She's 17."

LeRoy just looked at him for a moment. He didn't know why he wasn't seething and ready to lead the charge, call the police, call the school. The only thing he could think of was that Rachel was indeed their little girl. She was mature and strong-willed. She wouldn't let anyone take advantage of her. And that meant there had to be more to this relationship. It had to mean something. He didn't like it one bit and he was sure as hell going to end it. But he didn't feel right just ruining a man's life when he didn't know what this actually was.

"Yes, Hiram, she _is_ our little girl." He gave his husband a pointed look, hoping he would understand the meaning he was trying to convey.

Hiram still looked frazzled, seething, but he was thinking it through. After a few moments, he slowly nodded and removed his hand from the door.

"Okay," he said slowly as he sat back in his seat. "But I'm not done talking about this."

LeRoy nodded. "I'm not either. This will end," he promised.

xxx

When Rachel arrived home, she breathed a sigh of relief that her dads weren't back yet. She wasn't late but she wasn't ready to stand there and lie to him. She quickly hurried up the stairs to her room. She texted Will, letting him know she was home safe before tossing her phone on the bed and moving about to get the things she needed for a shower. Entering her bathroom, she turned on the water to the proper temperature and began to undress.

She smiled as she thought about the night. Turning on her music, she climbed into the shower and just stood under the hot water, relaxing as it beat down on her back. Taking a slow, leisurely shower, she thought about everything. She missed Will already. She wanted to be in bed with him right now, wrapped in his warm embrace.

But that rarely happened and it would be a long time before she was able to sleep in bed with him regularly. She could do it though; she could make it through this long stretch, especially now that she knew it would indeed happen. She almost couldn't believe that he thought about marrying her. And she couldn't believe how much she really wanted that. With Will by her side in New York, she knew that she could always do anything.

After her shower and going through her nightly routine, Rachel put on pajamas and headed downstairs to say goodnight to her fathers. They would be home by now.

She could hear them having what sounded like an intense conversation, almost as if they were fighting. They rarely did so and she hated when it happened. As soon as they were aware of her descending the stairs, they stopped talking. They were in the kitchen, where her dad was pouring the two of them hot water for their tea. They had on bright, fake smiles and that worried her.

"Hello, munchkin," LeRoy said brightly. "Do you want some tea?" he asked reaching for a third mug at her nod. "Did you have a good time at Sam's?"

"I did," she answered, simply, putting a smile on her own face. She looked over at Hiram. He was quiet and not making eye contact with her. She was confused by it. "How was your dinner?" she asked, hoping for an answer as she sat across from him.

"It was great," LeRoy jumped in. "Dinner was fantastic. You'd think we were in a five-star restaurant."

"That's great." She genuinely smiled. "I'm glad you two had a good night."

"What about you, Rachel? Did you have a good night?" Hiram finally spoke, but there was something off in his voice. She didn't understand it.

"It was great," she said absentmindedly, preoccupied by how weird her father was acting. "Is everything okay, Daddy?"

"Yes, pumpkin, everything is fine," he said quickly before standing and grabbing his mug. "I'm just tired is all. I think I'll head on up to bed." He kissed LeRoy before bending down to kiss Rachel on top of the head. He then left the kitchen without another word.

Rachel sat there for a moment before looking over at her dad, who had joined her at the table. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, sweetheart," LeRoy responded. "You didn't say anything. Your father is just tired. You know how he can get."

Rachel nodded. She wasn't convinced but there was no use in dwelling on it. She wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong tonight.

"So, Rachel, do you happen to like this Sam, as more than just a friend?" LeRoy asked.

Rachel didn't understand what was going on. She had told them earlier that it wasn't like that. "No, not at all," she answered quickly.

"But there is someone," LeRoy said knowingly. Rachel realized she must have given that away with her automatic answer.

"Well, I do have a little bit of a crush on someone at school," she hedged, twisting the situation. This was safer, she could at least talk to him about what she was feeling maybe.

"I thought so," LeRoy said with a nod.

"You did?"

"A father always knows, dear."

Rachel smiled slightly.

"Tell me about him. Have you told him how you feel?"

Rachel thought for a moment before answering. She needed to be careful in how she phrased everything. She couldn't give too much away. "No, he doesn't know, but he's really great," she started, with a wistful smile. "He always talks to me and compliments me. He listens, really listens, and just lets me talk. He doesn't cut me off with some sarcastic comment and change the subject. It's like he really wants to know what I'm thinking and feeling. He makes me feel special and he makes me laugh. I enjoy being around him." She paused, realizing how it sounded; she was saying too much. "It's nothing more than friendship," she fibbed, "but I really think I love him. I didn't even feel this way about Finn. I know that must sound silly…" she trailed off.

LeRoy sat back and didn't interrupt her, instead he let her speak and tell him everything she was feeling. "No, no, that's not silly," he said softly. "As long as you are careful with you heart. He might not feel the same way."

Rachel wanted to correct him, tell him that no, he does feel the same way. But that would give it all away. "I know, dad. He's just a friend right now," she finished. She hated lying.

LeRoy didn't say anything more about it. "It's getting late," he smiled. "I think I might join your father," he said, taking his cup to the sink. Rachel did the same thing.

"I'm going to head upstairs too. I'm exhausted," Rachel told him. They walked up the stairs together and Rachel kissed him goodnight before heading to her room. She noticed her phone flashing from the bed and she smiled at the message.

**Good. I miss you already. See you on Monday. I love you.**

Placing her phone on her nightstand, Rachel climbed under her covers and thought only of Will and his strong arms surrounding her, as she fell asleep.

xxx

"So what's it like dating Mr. Schue?" Mercedes asked as she and Rachel ate lunch in her car a few days later. Since she found out, Rachel felt closer to the other diva. They seemed to understand each other more. And Rachel was grateful that Mercedes had not only covered for her with her parents but also was surprisingly okay with the situation. They started hanging out more and Rachel was glad to have that friendship with her.

Laughing at the question, Rachel shook her head. "It's not too much different from dating any other guy." She shrugged.

"I know that can't be true. Boys our age don't know how to treat a woman, but Mr. Schue is older; hell, he's been married. It has to be different, right? In the way he treats you and understands you."

Rachel thought about it. It was different. Being with Finn was nice but he was just looking to get to second base ninety percent of the time. He didn't like it when she talked too much. She didn't even know if he listened most of the time. Jesse, while he did listen better, it was usually all about him. With Will it was so much more. It felt like a mature relationship, not just a high school romance.

"I guess it is different," Rachel said, looking down with a wistful smile. "He cares about what I say and how I feel." She looked up at Mercedes then. "He doesn't just listen to earn points, you know? And he's never pushed me to do more than I'm ready to. When he looks at me, I feel so special. I've always wanted to be looked at that way and I didn't really know if it would happen."

Mercedes listened, looking thoughtful. Rachel was grateful that she seemed to understand that this wasn't anything as untoward as anyone else would undoubtedly think. Obviously the actual nature did make it inappropriate but he wasn't taking advantage of her. Mercedes seemed to understand that sometimes you fall in love with the people you weren't meant to. She didn't judge or think less of her and Will. It's something that Rachel really needed.

"How did it happen?" Mercedes asked thoughtfully. "I mean, I can't imagine Mr. Schue starting this."

"You're right." She smiled softly. "He tried to stop it, to end it before anything even happened. He told me it was inappropriate and that no matter how we felt, we couldn't be together," She explained. "We became aware of what we both felt that night we were all decorating his tree. I stayed behind to talk to him about something with Finn. I just needed to talk to someone. He was there and the next thing I know, I'm admitting feelings that I had tried to keep hidden. But we agreed that it wasn't meant to be and that it couldn't be pursued. It was a few weeks before we both realized that what we were feeling was real and that we couldn't ignore it. It wasn't going away. We took it slow from there. But, yes, it was me that started it and me that pursued it. Will's a good man. He would never be with a student unless what we had was real."

Mercedes took it all in before giving her a friendly, understanding smile. "I know he is. From the way you talk, it's obvious how real it all is."

"Believe me, I never expected to fall for my teacher like this, but I couldn't ignore it. I don't want to ignore love. I know how rare it can be."

There was some silence as they continued to eat. "What about you?' Rachel finally spoke with a sly smile. "What's going on with you and Sam? You two seemed very close at prom."

"We're… taking it slow," Mercedes said with a smile. "But I think it's going to turn into something special. I really like him," she confessed.

Rachel smiled brightly, excited that her friend had found someone she felt that way about. Sam was a great guy and she could see the two of them getting along well. "I'm really happy for you, Mercedes. I hope that it all works out. You two seemed like you were having a great time at prom and I'm glad you found someone."

"Thank you, Rachel. Did you get your dance at prom? I noticed you disappeared for a couple of songs."

Rachel blushed a little, remembering what had happened in his office and Mercedes raised an eyebrow. But instead of elaborating, Rachel answered simply. "I got my dance," she said. "It was perfect."

"I'm glad," Mercedes told her before noticing the time. "I guess we should get back. Lunch is almost over."

Rachel nodded, getting her trash together. "We're still on for Friday night, right?" she asked as they got out of the car.

"We are, unless of course you want to spend it with someone else?" Mercedes asked pointedly. "I'd understand."

"Don't be silly. I want to spend it with you and Kurt," she said with a laugh, looping her arm through Mercedes' as they walked inside. She did want to see Will soon though. She didn't really know when they would be able to see each other outside of class again.

Once inside she and Mercedes parted. Looking at her watch, Rachel saw that she had a few minutes before her next class. Will should be in his office.

She quickly grabbed what she needed from her locker and rushed to Will's office, hoping to catch him. She smiled when he was still there.

"Mr. Schuester, do you have a minute?" she asked knocking on his open door.

He smiled up at her. "Sure, Rachel, come on in."

She did as he asked and closed the door behind her. "Hi," she said softly.

"Hi, how's your day?" he returned.

"It's good. I ate lunch with Mercedes and I'm about to go to my next class but I wanted to ask you about glee practice today." She walked over to the chair in front of his desk as she spoke, sitting down gingerly.

"What about it?" he asked, as he shuffled some papers around, getting them ready for his next class.

"Do we really have to have it?" she questioned innocently.

He looked up then, surprised by the question. "Why wouldn't we? We need to be prepared better for next year."

"I know that, but we don't have any upcoming competitions and if we didn't have rehearsal today, we could have about an hour and a half to spend together instead before I have to be home," she suggested, looking at him with her big brown eyes. She wanted to convince him that spending the time with her was a much better choice.

Will looked at her for a moment and she could tell he was thinking it over. She was sure that she had him but was disappointed when he spoke. "I don't know, Rach. As much as I would love to spend that time with just you, I don't think it would be right to blur the lines and cancel glee rehearsal so that we could see each other. Everyone is expecting rehearsal."

Rachel sighed, knowing he was right. "Okay," she said sadly. "I just don't know when I'll get to see you again. This week is so busy for both of us and I'll be spending Friday night with Mercedes and Kurt. I'm just going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," he told her softly. "But I'll see you during rehearsal and we'll find time to be together soon. I promise."

She nodded as the bell rang. "Well, I have to get to class so, I'll see you later." She stood from her seat and took a chance, leaning over his desk to give him a quick kiss. "I love you," she whispered before turning to leave his office.

She was kind of disappointed for the rest of the day. She just really wanted to see him and though she knew that they couldn't sacrifice glee just to see each other, she was really hoping he could make the exception today. It wasn't until just before her last class that she was smiling brightly again at she text the message on her phone.

**Glee is cancelled today. Can you let everyone know? I'll see you at my apartment. Love you. **

She smiled to herself, trying not to get noticeably excited. Taking a breath, she sent a mass text to the glee members, letting them know that they had the afternoon off. She couldn't wait.

xxx

"We need to talk about this now before Rachel gets home," Hiram said joining his husband in the living room. "Lord knows where she really is right now. She's supposed to be in glee but I don't even know that I can trust her anymore. She's probably with him as we speak and I don't care what you think, it needs to stop." He finally took a breath and looked over at his husband, before taking a seat in the chair across from the couch. They needed to figure this out.

LeRoy listened as his husband spoke with the nervous energy he had grown accustomed to. He understood where he was coming from. There was really no excuse, no justification for that man being in a relationship with his daughter. But at the same time, the word love flowed over and over in his head. Sometimes you didn't have a choice in who that person was, and really, it could be worse.

"We've had a few days to think about this. Have you thought about what you want to do?" LeRoy asked.

Hiram looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Is there really another option?" he questioned, a little surprised that LeRoy was entertaining anything else. "We're going to the school, to the police. Look, we're not wasting any more time. It's been four days and we need to handle this situation. I won't let it go on anymore," Hiram stated.

"Now, wait a minute-" LeRoy tried to speak, before being cut off.

"Now, I entertained your whole 'we don't know what this is' idea because I thought you were going to come to your senses but there is no excuse for this. This is our little girl that he has taken advantage of."

LeRoy shook his head. "I talked to her the other night. She was vague about things but she told me she was in love with someone. She's really happy. I could see it on her face and hear it in her voice."

"He's her teacher," Hiram said, unable to stand any longer.

"If we take him from her, she'll never forgive us," LeRoy replied. He was sure of that.

"So you just suggest we let it continue?"

"No," LeRoy said, shaking his head and standing. "I'm saying we look at the third option."

Hiram looked at LeRoy and slowly nodded as he thought about it. "We said it wasn't the right time."

"Well things have changed," LeRoy reminded. "I think it's time to reconsider."

xxx

After class, Rachel quickly made her way to her locker, grabbing what she needed and hurrying to her car. They didn't have long. Her dads expected her home after glee rehearsal which gave her exactly 90 minutes. Thirty of those minutes would be spent driving to Will's and driving from Will's to her house. That meant they had 60 minutes together.

She smiled at Will as he walked out of his office the same time she walked by. His soft smile made her heart melt and they continued out of the building in silence. Once outside, Rachel turned to him and waved. "Have a good night, Mr. Schue."

She walked off in the opposite direction towards her car, not lingering in the parking lot. She just wanted to get to his apartment and be wrapped up in his arms.

She took a slightly longer route than he would take so that she could be sure he was home first. She didn't want to be waiting outside of his apartment and have the wrong person see her. That wouldn't be a problem though because she saw his car immediately as she found her own place to park. She fixed her hair and checked out her makeup. She smiled as she got out of her car and hurried up to his place.

She giggled as the door opened, before she even had a chance to knock. "Hey," he said softly.

She returned his greeting and stepped inside. "I see you changed your mind," she said in a lower voice as she walked passed him. She heard the door shut and then she felt his arms around her, turning her to face him and walking her back until she came in contact with the nearest wall. His lips were on hers instantly, kissing her fervently and hands running freely over her body.

"It was. That kiss. Before. You left. My office." He told her between the heated kisses. "I couldn't stop thinking about you," he said in a low voice, one that caused liquid to pool between her thighs.

She couldn't do anything but moan and press her body against his, feeling that he was already hard beneath his jeans. She wanted him so badly. She needed him. He didn't waste any time and moved his hands up under her skirt. Pushing her panties down her legs, she stepped out of them, but almost felt her knees buckle as he pressed his fingers against her folds. Her head fell back against the wall and she let out a loud moan.

It took her a minute to get her bearings but as soon as she did, her hands moved to his belt. Getting it unbuckled, she unzipped his pants and pushed them and his boxers down. She took him in her hand, giving his a few strokes. He returned the gesture, pushing two fingers inside her. "God, Will!" she cried out. She couldn't wait any longer. "Please, Will, please," she nearly whined.

Pulling his fingers out of her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her. Spinning them around, he sat her down on his dining room table and stepped between her legs. It didn't take him long to thrust inside her and she yelled out in pleasure. It was fast and passionate and they fell over the edge at the same time, fingers lace together.

After, Rachel laid back against the table and Will rested on top of her, his forehead pressed against her chest. Rachel let her fingers run through his curls slowly. She loved this, just being with him and having him near her. She hoped that she would never have to give this up. She wanted the future he had painted for her. She wanted him to be her husband and by her side for the rest of her life.

She knew that many people would think she was too young to be settling down with one man, and maybe that was true, but at the same time she felt in her heart that this was right. She was meant to be with this man.

"I love you, Will," she said softly, smiling when he pressed a kiss to heart through her shirt.

"I love you too," he whispered moving up her body and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "We have some time still," he said as wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up and close to him. "What do you say we spend it just talking?"

"And cuddling," Rachel added. "You know how much I love the cuddling."

Will laughed lightly. "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way."

They moved to the couch and spent the rest of their time taking about their day, their week, things that they had coming up. For a little white, it felt like they were just a normal couple.

xxx

Rachel arrived home at just the right time. She noticed both of her dads were home and she took a moment to calm down before heading inside. They wouldn't know anything. It's not like she was wearing a big sign that said "I just had sex with my older boyfriend, and he's my teacher too."

Slipping out of her car, she locked the door and walked on inside. She smiled when she saw her fathers in the living room. "Hi dad and daddy," she said to them, brightly, as she walked towards the stairs.

"Rachel, your father and I need to talk to you about something," LeRoy told her. "Why don't you come and sit down?"

She hesitated just a moment and noticed that her father, Hiram, wasn't looking at her. She started to feel a little bit of worry as she slowly walked towards them and took a seat on the couch.

"Pumpkin, we need to tell you about something and we know it's going to upset you, but we've talked about it and it's what your father and I decided needs to be done," Hiram said, looking up at her.

She looked between the two of them. She didn't know what to think. Did they find out she wasn't at glee this afternoon? Did something happen? She couldn't panic yet. Maybe it was nothing she was thinking.

Shaking her head slightly, she focused on LeRoy. "I don't understand. Daddy, what's going on?"

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_Thank you for reading. Please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**A/N:** I want to thank everyone for sticking with me and continuing to review. I am very sorry for the delay in this chapter. I'm going to start setting aside time a couple of days every week to work on my writing, so I do hope to start updating more regularly! This is a shorter chapter; however, the next part is more of a transition and it just felt like the right place to end this one.

* * *

Rachel couldn't believe this was happening and the worst part was that she knew she couldn't stop it. She was up in her room, sobbing into her pillow. She wanted to leave but her dads told her she need to focus on her homework. But what was the point? It was all over anyway. Her life was ruined.

She thought about calling Will. Even if she couldn't see him, she could tell him what was going on. Maybe he could figure out a way for them to get out of this. There had to be a way. But she could hear her dads outside of her room. They'd hear her if she was on the phone, and maybe that was for the best. She had to tell Will something like this in person.

Listening to her dads' muffled voices, she frowned. Things sounded tense between them. Maybe that meant there was a chance to change their minds. Something had to be done. Taking a deep breath, she quietly thought about what had just happened, trying to figure out a way to stop this…

_-An hour earlier-_

…. "Pumpkin, we need to tell you about something and we know it's going to upset you, but we've talked about it and it's what your father and I decided needs to be done," Hiram said, looking up at her.

She looked between the two of them. She didn't know what to think. Did they find out she wasn't at glee this afternoon? Did something happen? She couldn't panic yet. Maybe it was nothing she was thinking.

Shaking her head slightly, she focused on LeRoy. "I don't understand. Daddy, what's going on?"

She watched LeRoy look over at Hiram almost as if he wasn't sure about this. She wondered if she should confess that she was with a friend instead of at glee. She didn't know what to really say and she hated feeling as if she was a step behind. She was starting to get scared.

Sitting down in front of her, LeRoy took a deep breath. "Well, sweetheart, I got an offer to run the firm in Chicago. I was going to say no. Your father and I talked and decided it wasn't the right time…" he paused slightly.

Rachel froze at the mention of Chicago, calming slightly only when he said it wasn't the right time. She couldn't leave. She had Will. She finally had friends. However, that relief soon disappeared.

"But, things have changed," Hiram jumped in. He sounded upset and she didn't know what she had done. "I requested a transfer. We'll be moving in a couple of weeks, as soon as the school year ends," he told her bluntly.

LeRoy gave Hiram a look. He had been hoping to soften the blow but he knew Hiram wasn't entirely happy with this decision. He still wanted to go to the police but at least the relationship would end and she would never see her teacher again.

Rachel could feel her world falling apart. She didn't even notice her fathers having a silent conversation over this. Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked quickly trying to make them go away. It was over; everything was ruined.

"But Lima is our home," she tried. "I have school and glee club and friends. I'm going to be a senior," she said, pleading as the tears started to fall rapidly. "Please, I don't want to lose this."

LeRoy had to look away. His daughter's heart was breaking in front of him, and he felt like it was his fault. But this was for the best, he reminded himself. She would move on once she was away from Will Schuester.

Hiram stood from his chair, biting his tongue to keep from saying any more. "They have glee clubs in Chicago," he told her. "It's already been decided. You should start packing."

With that, he walked away, leaving Rachel slightly stunned and confused. There was no family discussion. There was always a family discussion about major decisions. She didn't understand what was going on, why this was happening. There was no way they could know about Will, so it couldn't have to do with that. She looked at LeRoy hoping for an explanation.

"I'm sorry, Rachel," he said, his voice softer. "I can't pass up this opportunity.

She nodded, still trying to make sense of it all. She needed to see Will. Standing from the couch, she spoke quietly and wiped at her eyes. "I- I need to go out," she said walking towards the door.

"No, Rachel. You will go upstairs and work on the paper you have due tomorrow."

She turned back to him, pleading. She had to see Will. "Please, daddy!"

"You can see your friends tomorrow at school. You have two weeks left to see them. Tonight you need to do your homework."

She wanted to scream and yell. She had an overwhelming desire to stomp her foot but she didn't. Instead, with a defeated sigh, she turned and walked upstairs to her room. She couldn't stop herself from slamming the door though.

She had spent the night crying, trying to find a way to change this but she knew it was no use.

It was over. She would go away to Chicago, and Will would find someone else, someone his age. She was sure of that. One day, she would hear about his wedding to Miss Pillsbury and she would be alone in her apartment, surrounded by cats. She couldn't even respond to his texts that night, too afraid that she would never stop crying if she did.

Instead, she texted Mercedes and asked if they could talk before school. With the promise of coffee, she agreed. Rachel put her phone to the side and tried to fall asleep, shutting her eyes tightly.

xxx

"So, you're moving?" Mercedes asked the next morning as they sat in her parked car outside the school.

"In two weeks," Rachel nodded, "as soon as school is over. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm so happy here, finally, and with Will," Rachel cried.

At that moment, both saw Will's blue, beat-up car pulling into the parking lot. Rachel took one look at it and started sobbing once again.

Mercedes reached across the seat and rubbed her hand gently up and down her friend's back, hoping to soothe her at least a little. She didn't know what to do though. She liked Sam and if he had to move away, she she'd be sad but okay. She was seeing now how deeply in love Rachel really was with their teacher.

Mercedes watched as Mr. Schue started walking towards the school. He smiled and waved when he saw the two girls, though his face quickly changed to concern when he saw Rachel. It was clear then that their teacher was also very much in love with Rachel. She waved at Mr. Schue – Rachel unable to do the same – and tried to give him a reassuring smile. She didn't feel at all like this would actually be okay but there wasn't much else she could do. Rachel had to be the one to talk to him.

With a sigh, she looked over at the other girl, the one she had grown close to over the past two years. In the beginning, she never thought she and Rachel would be this close, that Rachel would confide in her the biggest secret she had. But here they were and she wanted to be there for Rachel as best she could.

"It's one year," she finally spoke. "I think with how much you love each other, you can make it work." Mercedes was confident of that.

Rachel looked up a little then, trying to dry her eyes without getting mascara everywhere. "Do you really think so?" she asked.

"You want a future with him, right?"

"Yes, more than anything." Rachel nodded.

"Then this is just a bump in the road. If you love each other, you'll make it work. You just have to talk to him and don't give up."

Rachel thought about it, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

"You're right," she whispered eventually. "It will be okay," she nodded, "and you and I will stay friends," she stated.

"Of course we will," the other Diva confirmed. The two girls hugged and after fixing Rachel's make up, they went off to begin the day, Rachel feeling better than she had since the night before.

She was antsy throughout the day though. She needed to talk to Will in person. Ignoring the texts from him that asked if she was alright, she reminded herself that she would see him later. She couldn't say anything until they could really sit down and talk.

As glee was winding down, she decided to send Will a text.

**Your place after glee? Please.**

She watched as he looked down at his phone and then up at her, confusion swimming in his eyes. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, and she smiled slightly, not betraying her emotions.

She thought about what she was going to say on the drive over but as soon as she was in front of his door, she found herself almost paralyzed, unable to knock. What if he ended it? Took this as a sign that it was over? What if he was relieved she was moving away? If he was looking for a way out? What if she lost the only person she had ever loved?

She didn't have much time to contemplate any of those questions. Instead the door swung open, surprising her.

"Are you going to stand out there all day?" he asked with a smile, thought she could tell he was nervous. She wished she could assure him that everything was alright but nothing felt okay and she couldn't lie.

Will didn't know what was going on. She had avoided him all day. She was crying this morning. She didn't answer his texts. What if their conversation a couple weeks earlier actually scared her away the more she thought about it? Maybe she wasn't ready for forever.

"I'm sorry if I've been moving too fast," he said, quickly, not sure what else to say. He just wanted to fix this. "We can slow down. I just love you more than I ever thought possible."

It was his voice, his words that caused her to break again. She shut the door behind her and flung herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist and sobbing into his chest.

Confused and concerned, Will wrapped his arms tightly around Rachel and pulled her close, whispering words of comfort as his hand moved up and down her back. Neither of them said anything for several moments. Will didn't even know where to begin and Rachel's sobbing made it hard for her to speak.

But eventually, she started to calm down, much to Will's relief. It physically hurt him to see her this way.

"Rachel, what happened?" he tried again.

Rachel slowly untangled herself from his arms and took a couple of deep breaths. Taking his hand, she led them over to the couch and sat down, her body angled so that she could face him.

"I don't want to lose you," she started softly.

"You never will," she said quickly.

She shook her head slightly. She didn't know how they could survive this.

"I'm moving away," she said, continuing on when she saw his confusion. "My dad got a job in Chicago and they decided he would take it. We move in two weeks and I'm going to lose you," she finished with a sob.

Of all the things going through his head, he hadn't expected this. He didn't know what to say, how to assure her that it would be okay. In all honesty, he didn't know that their relationship could survive it but he knew one thing: he wanted to try; he wouldn't just give up.

Scooting closer to her, he wrapped her in his arms once more. "We can try to make this work," he said softly. "We can call each other, and there's email. It's only a year and you'll be in college in New York. Maybe that's where I'll be too. You know I've always wanted to live there. One year, and then we can have that."

He knew his promise was big, maybe even something he couldn't deliver. But in this moment, it was the only thing he wanted and he would work towards making it a reality.

Rachel looked up at him hopefully. "Do you really think we can do it?" she asked.

"I think we always knew this relationship would be hard. This- this is just a bump in the road, however unexpected." He tried to remain positive. They could do this. "We just have to fight."

"I can fight," she promised with a small smile.

"I can too. And in the meantime, we'll make the most of these last two weeks."

Leaning in, he kissed her deeply, sealing the promise that he had made. She was the love of his life and he never wanted to lose that.

Rachel pulled him closer, pressing herself to him as she straddled him.

"Bedroom," she murmured. He didn't waste any time before lifting her and taking her into the next room.

As they made love, Rachel tried to tell herself that they would be okay. He wasn't going anywhere; he loved her and would wait for her. It wasn't ideal but what love story was ever easy. The love stories that withstood time, that were true, would always test the two parties. If they overcame those tests, then they knew that they were meant to be.

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_Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think with a review!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

******A/N: **Thank you all so much for sticking with this story and for all the wonderful reviews, follows and favorites. Every single one of them put a smile on my face. This is a transition chapter, so it's a little shorter than usual. I hope you all enjoy, and the next chapter should be up in the next week or so! Please read and review! I'd love to know what you think.

* * *

Her last two weeks in Lima were too short. With so much packing combined with finals, Rachel didn't get to see as much of Will as she wanted but they found time when they could. She didn't know how they were going to manage their relationship with the distance that would be between. She was determined though. She wasn't going to lose him.

The departure was equally as hard for Will. After everything he went through with Terri and then Emma, he finally felt he was in a relationship that worked and made sense. He knew how strange that was. Their positions and age difference shouldn't make sense but it did to him.

The summer was particularly rough. He had been looking forward to more time together, a little more freedom. Now, he had to wait for her dads to go out or to work for Rachel to call or Skype with him. He preferred their Skype sessions. It meant he got to see her but, at the same time, he hated it. She was always tearful when they ended and he didn't do well with seeing her upset.

She seemed to be doing okay with the transition. She didn't do too much, since she hadn't made any friends yet. Most of her time was spent in her room. The theater scene was nice though and her dads started taking her to shows regularly. It felt like they were trying to make up for taking her from the only home she had ever known. Whatever their reasons, it meant that she got to see Wicked five times by the end of the summer.

But she missed Will – really missed him – and no amount of talking to him or phone sex could make up for not getting to see him every day or hug him or kiss him. She hated it. She needed him and he was two states away. It had only been a couple of months and with no idea when she would see him again, she was starting to lose any hope she had that they could actually make this work long-term.

Will did the best he could to keep busy during the simmer. He taught a summer school class; he focused on how to run glee without Rachel there. He did everything he could to not think about her until he was actually talking to her, not that it worked. He started spending time with Emma after her divorce in June, just as friends. That's what he needed, a friend. He could tell though that Emma had other thoughts in mind, and he had to remind himself that the love of his life was in Chicago. At one point, he thought he was in love with Emma and he still really cared about her but it was Rachel that he wanted.

xxx

"My lips trail down your body, slowly caressing your skin. You always taste so good," Will murmured as he lay back on his bed in only his boxers. This was something they did every now and then when her dads were away. It wasn't close to actually being with her but it was something they could share together.

Will was starting to get into it, feeling himself grow hard as he imagined her beneath him. He soon heard her frustrated sigh.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, though he already knew.

"It's not working," she whines. "I want you here, actually tasting me."

"I know, Rach, and I wish I could be there too but this is our only option right now." He paused and when she didn't protest, he continued. "Let's go back to what you are wearing," he said, letting his voice get low again. He ran his hand over his boxers, thinking about how Rachel's small hand would feel.

"You always ask me what I'm wearing," she pointed out and he could tell that she wasn't into this anymore. He didn't blame her; it was awkward even when it _was _working for both of them.

"I… like to picture you exactly. You tell me what you're wearing and I know exactly what you look like in this moment. I can picture the way your face looks as my hands glide over your skin. I can remove your clothes in my mind and see your gorgeous body. I have every bit of you memorized. I can't be with you physically but I can still share this experience with you," he explained softly.

He waited a moment, not wanting to push her. His hand hovered over his boxers, waiting to see if he had to shut this down or ramp it up.

"I'm wearing pink cotton panties with lace trim. I know they are one of your favorites… That's all I'm wearing."

The tone of her voice matched his softer one and he sighed, his hand dropping down to his length. She was right, those were probably his favorites. They looked incredible against her tanned skin.

"I have on dark blue boxers. I'm starting to get hard," he offered.

Moaning softly, she sighed – happier this time. "That's a great color on you," she said. "I want to be touching you Will. I want you touching me. You always make me feel so good."

Her words were doing the trick as he felt himself harden fully. He ran his hand over his length, above the cotton. "You make me feel good too, Rach," he whispered, his hand moving beneath the thin material, causing a moan to fall from his lips. "Touch yourself, Rachel," he commanded softly. "Touch yourself the way I would touch you."

There was a long moment of silence on the other end and Will knew he had lost her again.

"Rach?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered and he could hear she was close to tears. "I know that you're into this but I just can't right now," she told him apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Will closed his eyes, slowly removing his hand from his length. "It's okay, sweetheart. We don't have to; we can just talk."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not," he assured her.

"I'm scared," she admitted. "I feel like I'm losing you. I've only been gone a couple of months… How are we going to do this, Will?"

Will hated how worried she sounded; how lost she was.

"Do you love me? Still see a future with me?" he asked simply.

"Of course I do. I don't want anyone else," she said, very sure in that decision.

"Then this is one of those hard parts I told you about and we just have to focus on that love to get us through. When it gets hard and we don't think it can last, remember that one day we'll be married and all of this will be a thing of the past."

"I know; it's just so hard already…"

xxx

Rachel continued to have her moments of doubt but they persevered. When it got particularly tough, Rachel remembered how much she loved him and that all great love stories had their trials and tribulations. Theirs would be no different.

They had less than a year now and getting accustomed to a new school, new classes and new chorus would be a good distraction.

Everything seemed to be going well. Her new chorus teacher didn't quite recognize her talents yet but Rachel wasn't going to give up. She was sure she would be leading them to victory at Sectionals.

"Hey," she heard after class one day while she sat finishing up a text to Will, a private smile on her face.

"Oh, hey Brian," she greeted, looking up at the tall, sandy blond. He was also the lead of her glee club.

"Boyfriend?" he asked knowingly.

"Yes, I was just making sure we are on for our phone date tonight," she explained a she stood from her chair and started gathering her things.

"Oh, I see. How do you guys make it work? I assume he's back in Ohio."

She looked up at him, surprised that he remembered where she was from. They didn't interact that often.

"Uh, well… it's hard. But we love each other and so we make it work," she explained with a smile and small shrug.

Brian nodded before getting to his point. "Well, the reason I'm here is because I can hear you sing every day and you're great. You should be featured more but Mrs. Williams is never going to use you unless she hears you. And I think we'd sound great together. So, what do you say we meet up and work on a duet this weekend?" he asked.

Rachel hadn't expected that. It was true that she didn't get noticed. The chorus was much bigger than at McKinley but Brian was the favorite, and she was surprised that he was willing to share the spotlight.

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "That sounds great," she told him. She hated being in the background. She deserved to be heard.

"Great!" Brian smiled. "I'll text you and we can figure out the details."

xxx

After singing in class with Brian, Rachel was starting to feel more like she fit in and that Mrs. Williams was paying more attention to her. It wasn't the same as home but it was better.

The next few months went by quickly. Between classes, applications for college and glee, Rachel wasn't able to talk to Will as much. They still texted almost daily but their phone dates became biweekly. It was difficult; Rachel missed Will so much and she knew he felt the same but it was getting harder to remember why they were fighting so hard, especially when Brian would flirt with her in class or invite her to hang out with him and his friends.

It was just as hard for Will with Rachel being gone but there wasn't much they could do about it. He tried to remember that even if she was in Lima, she would be busy and he wouldn't see her as much. It was hard to maintain the relationship though. He could feel her growing distant, apart from him and he worried that they really wouldn't make it.

It was after the New Year when Rachel was talking to Mercedes that she realized this couldn't go on. The other diva had told Rachel how Ms. Pillsbury had gotten divorced and was hanging around glee club and Mr. Schue a lot more. And that he was hard to read. She knew at one point that Will had feelings for the guidance counselor and she wondered if their being together was holding him back from being truly happy.

A couple of days later, she surprised herself by saying 'yes' when Brian asked her out. She really liked Brian and she wanted to see if maybe she could do this, if she could be happy too with someone that wasn't Will. She was surprised even more by just how much she enjoyed it. She knew what had to be done, though it really hurt more than she could ever explain; however, it was the best for both of them.

xxx

"I'm dating someone," Rachel said softly, before quickly continuing, "It just started yesterday and it was one date but… He's in the chorus and my Spanish class."

She didn't mean to just blurt it out as soon as their conversation began. She was holding back tears but it had to be done. Will could be happy with Ms. Pillsbury and she didn't want to stop him from having that.

"Rachel?" Will asked, confused about the suddenness of her confession. Why was it happening now? He thought things were actually getting better between them, and they had made it this long; they only had a little more time to go. Hearing those words killed him. He wasn't ready for this and he could feel his heart starting to break.

"I'm sorry… but Will, this has to be over and we both know it," she said quietly.

"No, Rach, we can make this work. You graduate in about five months. We can do this," he protested adamantly. He couldn't lose her. He still wanted to marry her.

"And then I go to college," she countered. "That's four more years. Then I'm going to New York, and you'll still be in Ohio." The tears started to fall and she took in a deep breath. "I hate it, Will. I hate this so much but we can't do it anymore. We both deserve to be happy, and I haven't been happy. Can you say that you have?"

The thought of Will with Ms. Pillsbury made her sick but she was sure that if they hadn't been together, he would already be with her. She couldn't get in the way anymore of something that could make him happy.

"I love you, Rachel," he said, quietly pleading with her to let that be enough. He didn't know how it would all work out but he would come up with something, if she just gave him the chance.

"I know. I love you too," she cried. "So much. That hasn't changed but we _both_ know this isn't working; it won't work."

He sighed. "I know," Will responded. He sounded so defeated but Rachel could also hear a little bit of anger. She didn't blame him for being upset.

Taking a breath, she paused a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry. I hope we can still talk and be friends. I can't lose you completely, Will," she said honestly. That would kill her, if she couldn't talk to him anymore. "Goodbye, Will. I'll talk to you soon," she told him, quickly ending the call. It was too hard and she collapsed on her bed in tears, feeling like her world had just caved in.

Will listened as silence came over the other line. He was angry and sad. He wiped the tears from his cheeks and shook his head. She was wrong. He had to get her back, prove she belonged with him and not some high school boy.

He took a breath and let out a hollow laugh. He was being so selfish. Rachel had made the right decision, deep down he knew that. She deserved to be a teenager and to date and to have her life without him there to hold her down and steal her spirit. He had to let her go. As much as it killed him, he knew it was over.

xxx

Rachel kept her word and texted or emailed Will from time to time. Their conversations were always stilted but Will was glad she was happy. It sounded like this Brian was good for her, and he had accepted that. But almost predictably, by the end of the school year, they were no longer talking. The busyness of the day to day had finally caught up with both of them and it was just easier to let their communication go by the wayside.

She was focused on her boyfriend and school, graduation and college. He wasn't as important to her anymore and he had to let go. It was time for him to move on too and focus on being happy himself. Glee club had made it to Nationals that year; most of the students were graduating and take the next steps in their lives. He needed to do the same, and Emma was the one there.

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_Thanks for reading! Please review. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

******A/N: **Thank you all for reading. I'm a little nervous about this chapter but I hope you all like where this story is heading. I am hoping to update more regularly now. I appreciate all the feedback!

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_FOUR YEARS LATER_

_So much has changed,_ Rachel thought to herself as she looked around the small apartment. Boxes were still full; the furniture wasn't quite right yet. She hadn't really expected to be here but she was happy about it, kind of excited actually. It had become her dream and to be living it just out of college was a little overwhelming – in a good way. It may not have been what she wanted since she was a little girl but she could honestly say she wouldn't change how things turned out.

It felt strange though; it was weird to think of herself as an adult, having the responsibilities that she now had. Smiling, she straightened a picture she had just hung and stepped back to admire it. Little by little everything would fall into place, and she would start to feel like the person she always wanted to be. She walked back to the couch to rest. Sighing contently, she looked around her new living room. She was home.

o0O0o

Will took a breath as he entered the faculty lounge, looking around for a friendly face and seeing none. Classes wouldn't be starting for two weeks but there was preparation and meetings that he had to attend. After 13 years as a teacher, it didn't take long for Will to get his classroom set up but this year, he was trying something new. He had lost a lot of his drive the past few years, and he wanted to get that back, so he was changing up his lesson plans and assignments, hoping to come into the year fresh. He needed a little more time than most of the other teachers did to prep because of it. He placed his lunch on one of the empty tables and walked over to pour himself some coffee; he was grateful someone made it.

"Hey, Will," he heard Shannon behind him. He smiled over at her, as she sat down with her lunch, and finished pouring his coffee.

"Hey, Shannon," he said softly, joining her at the table. "How was your summer?" he asked.

"Oh, it was pretty good. Doug and I took a trip up to Canada, a few different places, which was exciting," she said, taking out an elaborate meal from her lunch box. "We had practice this morning. I'm hopeful it's going to be a good year… How are you doing with everything? I saw that Em's office was cleared out," she mentioned, a little hesitant.

Will looked down at the faint tan line on his ring finger. "Yeah," he nodded, "the, uh, the divorce was final in June and Emma decided she didn't want to come back. She got a job up at Carmel. I think she's excited about it… I'm okay though," he said with a small shrug. He didn't know if it was the truth but if he said it enough, maybe it would be. "We both wanted different things, you know? We wouldn't have been happy in the long run. We weren't happy at all."

Though that was their situation, Will could get over the fact that he was twice-divorced before he was even 40. It wasn't exactly where he thought he would be at 36. He thought he'd be happily married, with children, and successful with his career. He really wanted children.

"I know it's a disappointment," Shannon said softly, almost reading his thoughts. He looked up and gave her a faint smile. "I know you thought so but it just means she wasn't the one. I thought she was too in the beginning... I want both you and Emma to be happy and everyone would agree that neither of you were happy in the end, especially when it started spilling over from home to school."

"Yeah." Will laughed lightly, more out of discomfort than anything. He nodded in agreement though as he remembered their very loud, very public fight over anything and everything in the halls of McKinley one day last year, just as students were arriving for school. They were arguing about having children and buying a house and seeing her parents. Students and teachers stood around in shock as they aired their dirty laundry until Sue intervened. He knew then that they couldn't continue on the way that they were. It wasn't healthy, and he wasn't happy. That wouldn't change.

"It's going to be okay," he affirmed. "I'm ready to move forward. I even signed up for that mentor program the school district started this year. I think it might help keep my mind off of some things. And I've been in a bit of a funk. I need to get out and do something."

"Oh! Me too," Shannon exclaimed. "I have the new middle school PE teacher. They didn't give me a name though." She laughed.

"Me neither. They just gave me a welcome packet, a time and a room number. It's the new middle school English and Drama teacher but no name." He joined her laughter. "I guess this new system still has a few kinks."

o0O0o

The next day, Will made his way to Johnson Middle School to meet with his mentee. He didn't know exactly how this would work out but he tried to remember what it was like his first year, how he wished there was someone to guide him through the transition and everything that being a new teacher entailed. He didn't have anyone to turn to with questions or concerns and he knew that the new teacher was probably hoping for someone with whom they could do just that. It sounded like a perfect role for him. He had always felt at home when he was helping to guide others. He hoped that the program also helped him with finding his own inspiration again.

He noticed the door to the classroom was open, and he smiled when he saw a small brunette inside. She was turned away from him, hanging some pictures up on the corkboard of famous authors and playwrights. He knocked lightly, hoping not to startle her.

"You must be the new English teacher," he stated softly, stepping into the room. "I'm your mentor."

She was about to correct him and add Drama teacher to her title but instead she froze. There was no way she could ever forget that voice; she knew they would run into each other eventually but she didn't expect him to be assigned to her. She wasn't prepared for this. Unable to say anything, she just took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face him.

"Rachel?" he said, a little started. His confusion was very clear.

"Hello, Will," she responded finally, giving him a small smile.

After processing for a moment that it was indeed Rachel Berry standing in front of him, a big smile broke out on his face. He couldn't believe it. It had been five years since he last saw her, nearly four years since they last spoke. He had tried to keep tabs on her, of course, but it got to be too hard for him and got in the way of his relationship with Emma. Even though the break up hit him hard, his love for her never diminished. Walking up to her, he didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around her in a friendly hug. He had missed her so much.

"I can't believe it's you. I never in a million years would have expected this. How are you?" he asked, speaking quickly. He stepped back after a moment was struck with how happy he was to see her again; he could only hope that she felt the same.

When his arms encircled her, Rachel felt herself relax, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her biggest fear about seeing him was that he would be upset with her or not even want to see her. She also didn't know how_ she_ would feel. He was her first love and she still felt that love for him. He was the first man to make her feel special and wanted. She often wondered 'what if' over the years. What if she had never moved away? What if she had made more of an effort to make it work? Where would they be right now? Would they have lasted? Would they have ended bitterly? She would never know the answers to those questions.

Her smiled widened at his words, breaking away from her thoughts, and she nodded. "I'm well," she said softly, pausing for just a moment. "I was going to contact you," she told him. "I'm still getting settled and I was a little nervous, so I put it off."

They had always been honest with each other and she saw no reason to change that now, even after all this time. She was sure that he would understand. "I was going to though; I guess fate was a step ahead of me…" She smiled. "It's fitting… having you as my mentor."

"Don't worry about it," he assured. "And yeah, I didn't know it would be you. They failed to give me a name." He laughed, stopping when he heard Rachel's familiar laughter join him. As always, it lit up the room.

"Same here. I was a little afraid that my mentor would ditch me, actually," she joked. "That would be my luck."

"I'll be honest; this is my first year doing this. I already wasn't sure how to start this. I'm even less sure now that I know it's you," he confessed. He looked down a little, breaking eye contact.

She gave him a friendly smile and shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She walked over to her desk and looked through the stack of folders, finding her welcome packet. She held it up and looked through it to find a paper and her notes.

"They gave us a guide," she reminded. "It basically suggests starting with getting to know each other and answering any initial questions I may have, which I do." She smiled, holding up the second paper, covered in her penmanship.

Will laughed fondly, a little embarrassed that he forget to bring his own packet. "You always were prepared… If that's the case, how about you let me take you to the Lima Bean? We could get some coffee, get to know each other again and then I can try to answer your questions," he suggested. "And maybe you could even answer one of mine."

Rachel had been smiling as her former lover spoke, gathering her purse and notes so they could do just that. She looked at him curiously at his last words.

"Oh? And what question would that be?" she asked, though part of her already knew.

"Why you are here and not in New York," he answered bluntly, acknowledging the elephant in the room. Rachel paused, swallowing as she felt the tension rise slightly. She knew he would ask.

After a moment, she nodded and walked around her desk towards him. "We can talk about that too," she promised. "Come on; I definitely need some more caffeine." She tried to lighten the mood that had taken over but she wasn't sure how today would go and she wasn't sure she was ready to face him on a more personal level.

Will nodded. "I can drive," he told her as they walked out of the building. She followed, smiling when he led her to a black Honda.

"I see you've upgraded," she teased, though part of her was sad that it wasn't his old, beat up blue car. It held some good memories.

"Yeah, a while ago now. It finally broke down shortly after you moved away," he told her, unlocking the doors so that they could get in.

Not much was said on the short drive to the Lima Bean. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that they had a lot to talk about and they should probably wait until they were there. They always had been on the same page.

Once they arrived at the coffee shop, Rachel got out of the car and took a breath. This whole situation was a little strange and awkward but she was nothing if not a good actress. She could act like everything was normal.

"It's on me," he told her with a smile, leading her inside. She smiled back, a 'thank you' on her lips. As they stood in line, she looked at his profile for a moment. She couldn't believe how handsome he still was, even more so after all these years. His eyelashes were long; his hair was a little shorter. She really liked the day old scruff. She still felt butterflies in her stomach. Though, she noticed though a lingering sadness in his eyes. She didn't see it when he was looking at her but she saw it with his interactions with the barista and when he had been driving. She wondered why he was sad, if it was because of her. Maybe he wasn't happy to see her after the way their relationship ended.

"Let's sit over there," she said, gesturing to the couch in the corner as she took her drink from Will.

She walked over with him and sat down, placing her drink on the table and opening her folder. She took out her notes and grabbed a pen from her purse. She noticed that he wasn't saying anything, seemingly deep in thought, and she knew why.

"Plans changed in college," she spoke, breaking the ice once again, as she picked up her drink. She knew they weren't going to be able to really talk until she explained.

Will nodded, leaning in slightly for her explanation. Something obviously changed and he wanted to understand because as good as it was to see her, she was supposed to be in New York, chasing the dreams she had always worked for.

"I know I'm not doing what we both though I would be doing five years ago," she continued, "but I'm happy and I'm excited, really excited, to start this and making a difference. My parents moved back to Lima a couple of years ago too. It just felt right to be here, right now.

Her words just left Will more confused. She wasn't really explaining anything. He didn't know why there was a change in plans, why she wasn't acting or in New York.

"But why?" he asked, needing to know. "What happened? This just doesn't seem like you," he said, causing Rachel to bristle.

"Nothing _happened_," she snapped. "I just changed my mind and I wanted to teach. Is there a problem with that?"

Will didn't know what he said to really upset her but he felt bad for it. It had been five years and this isn't how he wanted it to be for them.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment, calmer.

"No, don't be," he replied quickly, shaking his head. "I'm sorry that I questioned it. If this is where you want to be, that's great. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," she said with a soft smile. Will relaxed slightly, thinking it better to change the subject.

"Let's go through that list of questions," he suggested, steering them back to a safe topic. Rachel seemed happy to comply.

Their conversation got a little better from there, staying focused on the job and not their personal lives.

Will couldn't help but let his mind wander a little. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her eyes sparkled and her laugh made him smile. He really missed her these past years.

"So, I think that's everything for now," she said before taking a drink of her coffee.

Will nodded and finished off his own. "I hope that was helpful. I think you'll be fine though," he said honestly.

"It really was." She bit her lip. "The guide suggests that we meet regularly to check in and everything. I'd like to do that if you would."

Will took a breath; he would never pass up an opportunity to see her. "That sounds great. How about we get coffee after the first day of school and then we can come up with a regular time?"

"Sounds good." She nodded. "I should probably head back now. I have a lot more to do."

"Of course, let's go." He smiled as he stood up and walked with her back to his car but inside he was feeling so many different emotions. He would have to sort those out later.

o0O0o

That night, Rachel sat on her couch, thinking about the day. She didn't know why she had gotten so upset when Will questioned why she was there, what had happened. He just cared and was confused. As someone who had done so much for her, he deserved to know. And it wasn't fair of her to snap the way she did. She felt really bad about it.

Looking down at her phone, she paused a moment before pressing the green button and holding it to her ear.

"Hello?" she heard after the second ring, but she couldn't say anything. "Rachel? Are you okay?"

"I didn't get into NYADA," she said finally, almost in a rush.

"What?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Earlier, you asked what happened, what put me on a different path… I didn't get into NYADA. I choked at the audition. I couldn't even get through 'Don't Rain on My Parade.'" She laughed bitterly. "It was the only school in New York that I applied to, stupidly. I was so sure that they would love me, and I messed up. I tried to get another audition but there are no second chances with NYADA."

She paused to let that process.

"But… you still could have gone to New York to study drama somewhere else," he said.

"I know and I majored in Drama at Northwestern. But it wasn't how I thought it would be and the drama teachers didn't like me; they didn't cast me in shows and I started to get discouraged. Between that and the disaster of my NYADA audition, I started to think I might not have what it takes. I even went on some auditions in Chicago but nothing…"

She sighed softly and shook her head, trying not to get upset. She heard a soft "Rach" on the other line and wiped at a tear that fell.

"Do I wish I was in New York? Yes, of course I do. But am I content here, teaching? Yes, I really am. Happy, even," she finished.

"So, what led you to choose teaching?" he asked, and she could tell that he was starting to understand. He knew the real world could really slap someone around, and though Rachel acted tough, she really was just seeking approval.

"Well… you did," she stated simply before elaborating just a little. "I remember what you said to me that one night in your apartment, about why you chose teaching."

"Me?"

"Yes," she laughed, "You seemed so inspired and passionate that night. And I liked the idea of helping someone else achieve their dreams. I started taking some education classes and tutoring. I really liked it, especially when I could see the student making a connection, that light turning in their brain. It was really fulfilling, and I realized there was a way to combine both education and performing. So I double majored and I got really lucky to find this job. I mean, I'm going to be developing the drama program from scratch. It could be really great and exciting."

It felt really good to explain it all to Will. She craved his approval more than anyone else's.

"I've always just wanted you to be happy," he said softly, after a moment.

"I know," she whispered, pausing as she felt a little overwhelmed. "You made me really happy, Will," she told him. She just felt like she needed to say it. He had been so important to her and then one day it was just gone.

There was a pause on the other end and for a moment she thought that she had made him uncomfortable. But she heard him take a breath before responding.

"Thank you, Rach." She could hear the smile in his voice. She shared that smile.

"I should let you go," she said softly. "I just wanted to explain and apologize for earlier. We're still on for coffee after the first day of school, right?" she asked.

"Absolutely. Thank you, Rachel, for trusting me with that. I hope you have a good couple of weeks and get everything settled. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"I do… goodnight, Will." She waited a beat before disconnecting. She felt so much better and was so glad she decided to call and explain everything. She had missed talking to him, having him in her life.

Before she could get too deep into her thoughts, her phone started buzzing. She looked down at the display and smiled even wider at the picture looking back at her. She answered.

"Jason! I was just thinking about calling. I miss you…"

o0O0o

Rachel sighed softly as she looked around her apartment. It had been a week since moving in and she hadn't made as much progress unpacking as she would have liked and almost wished she could just wiggle her nose or bob her head and the work would magically be done.

But she wasn't living in a 60s television series and knew that she needed to focus on the task in front of her. She was saved by the phone ringing, and she looked at the time. Jason was early but she wasn't complaining. She answered the phone without even looking at who was calling, a smirk on her face.

"Hey you," she said in an almost low voice.

"Rach?" she heard and she started feeling her face heat up. It was not who she expected.

"Oh, Will! Hi," she said in a brighter voice, hoping to cover for herself. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you."

"I know," he said. He sounded almost nervous. "I actually have a question for you, if you're not doing anything."

"No, not really, just unpacking. Nothing that can't wait." She laughed, feeling some excitement at hearing from him. "What's up?" she asked curiously.

"Well, Shannon and her husband, Doug, are taking her mentor out to a karaoke bar tonight and she suggested I join them and bring you… Would you be interested in that?" he asked.

Will didn't quite know how he felt about the idea. Shannon, of course, didn't know about his and Rachel's history. She was just excited about Will's mentee being a former student and wanted to get him out of the house at the same time.

After a pause, he heard Rachel over the line. She didn't seem sure about it either.

"You want me to come out with Shannon, her husband, her mentee, your wife and you?" She sounded almost incredulous.

Will was surprised she knew he had even been married. It happened after they lost touch. He guessed he wasn't the only one keeping tabs on the other.

"No, no." He rushed to correct. "Emma and I aren't together anymore…" he said slowly and took a breath. "We divorced this summer." It was still hard for him to say, especially with Rachel.

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. Please," he said. "It would just be me and you and the three of them," he explained again, trying to smile but he could still sense her hesitation. He didn't blame her. He felt it too. "It's okay, if you don't want to," he assured. "I know it's a little weird."

After what seemed like forever, she finally responded. "Sure, okay… I think that would be nice."

Will let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding and smiled. "Great, I'll pick you up in a couple of hours. Text me your address?" he asked.

"Okay. I'll see you then, Will," she said before disconnecting the call. Will looked at his phone. Tonight was going to be interesting.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! Please review :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **_Thank you everyone for reading and sticking with this story. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think! I'm going to try to have the next chapter up soon._

* * *

As soon as she hung up from her call with Will, Rachel felt slightly panicked. She wasn't sure why she said yes, except that she didn't want Will to think she didn't want to spend time with him because she did. She was hesitant though. Learning that he and Emma got divorced surprised her. She hadn't expected that. Part of her was still a little bitter about it. In the five years since she left, he fell in love with someone else, got married and divorced. It wasn't fair for her to think but maybe she never meant as much to him as he did her.

That, though, wasn't what caused her hesitance. It was that she would be spending the night out with Coach Beiste and her husband too. Yes, Rachel was an adult now – their colleague even – but she still kind of felt like a student who shouldn't be spending time outside of school with teachers. She didn't want anything to be more awkward than it would already be with Will.

Shaking her head, she decided to put aside any negative thoughts. She would forget the fact that her apartment was full of boxes for the night and have some fun. She texted Will her address and headed for the bathroom.

She quickly showered and got ready, throwing on a blue and white dress. Drying her hair, she curled the ends before putting on a light coat of makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror then for several moments. She was so much older than she used to be. It was weird to think that she was going out with Will, in public, and they probably wouldn't be that out of place. So much had changed in five years.

Jumping when she heard her phone buzz, Rachel paused and laughed lightly. When she saw it was Will, she reminded herself that this was normal; friend and co-workers spent time together often, and being new to Lima – in a way – she didn't want to pass up new friends and opportunities. Many of her friends from high school no longer lived here, and this would be a good start to feeling more at home.

She went back and forth between flats and heels for several moments before deciding on the latter and making her way outside to Will, a smile that betrayed all her nerves firmly on her face.

o0O0o

Will couldn't help but notice how much more beautiful Rachel had grown as she made her way out to his car. He was struck too but how much he didn't know her now. They had caught up a little and she even opened up to him the way she used to, but all of that was a fraction of the last five years. He wasn't sure how the night would end. The drive was mostly silent; Will hadn't been too sure what to say, and it seemed Rachel didn't either.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked once they arrived at the bar. Shannon was on her way and he thought it would give them a chance to get settled.

"Uh, sure," she said softly, looking around the room. "I'll have what you're having." She smiled at him.

"Oh, I'm not going to drink. I'm DD for the night." He laughed lightly. "I want to make sure that you- and I get home safely. But I want to get you something."

She bit her lip and nodded. "I'll have a vodka cranberry then?" she asked, following him up to the bar. He ordered her drink and a coke for him. He could probably have one or two beers and still be perfectly okay to drive but the truth is he didn't know how he'd act around her after a couple of drinks. He'd probably have a desire to reach out for her and pull her close. That would create too many questions.

"Do you want to sit over there?" she asked once they had their drinks. He nodded and let her lead them over to a booth closer to the stage.

Rachel laughed lightly as Will slid into the booth next to her, leaving him slightly confused but also amused.

"What?" he asked softly.

She smiled over at him for a moment. "I guess I'm just thinking about how much everything has changed," she said, looking back at her drink as she fiddled with the tiny straw.

"We were never able to be out together," she elaborated. "I mean- we were always at your apartment. Don't get me wrong, I loved it but I always thought about what it would be like to… go out to a bar with you or something like that."

She wasn't really saying anything and he didn't know why she was bringing it up, what she might say if he told her how many times he wished he could take her on a real date.

"I'm sorry about your divorce," she said softly, glancing at his left ring finger.

"It's okay, Rach," he said softly. "You know, it was never quite right. I tried to force it. She was never my first choice," he admitted, "and though I really loved her, I wasn't being fair to her. Eventually, it stopped working."

He looked Rachel in the eye and he could see some recognition. She smiled softly and he could have sworn she leaned in closer. She opened her mouth, about to say something, when another voice jumped in.

"Will, Rachel Berry! It's so good to see you again pumpkin, though I must admit it was a surprise when Will told me you were back in town," Shannon said as she slipped into the corner booth on the other side of Will. "Steve and Chris are just getting drinks but they'll be here soon."

"It's nice to see you again, Coach Beiste," Rachel said with a smile. Will wished he knew what Rachel was going to say but maybe that was a conversation for another time.

"Coach Beiste? No, Rachel, sweetheart, I'm not your teacher anymore. I'm a colleague and you should call me Shannon. You wouldn't call Will, Mr. Schuester would you?" she asked with a smile.

Rachel was grateful the lighting was low because maybe the blush spreading across her cheeks wouldn't be noticeable. She tucked some hair behind her ear and nodded. "You're right. Well, it's nice to see you again… Shannon. Congratulations on getting married!"

She smiled happily when the older woman introduced her to her husband and mentee. She shook both of their hands before scooting closer toward the center of the booth. She didn't realize Will had done the same until she bumped into him.

She gave him a soft apology before lifting the drink to her lips. She wasn't sure what to say and stayed quiet as Will, Shannon and her husband talked before they turned their attention to Chris, who was on the other side of Rachel. It was a little awkward at first but soon the introductions were out of the way, everyone relaxing considerably as the conversation started to flow.

Rachel was surprised at how quickly she seemed to transform from former student to colleague. She still had a hard time even believing that she was an adult. She felt as uncertain and young as the day she graduated high school. Did that feeling ever go away?

"Rach…" she heard coming from Will. She broke out of her thoughts and realized everyone was looking at her, waiting on an answer to a question she didn't know.

"Do you want the same thing?" Will asked helpfully and she nodded, realizing the waitress standing there. She reached for her purse but Shannon brushed her off. "It's on me, pumpkin."

Rachel smiled at the affectionate nickname. "Thank you."

"Are you okay?" Will asked softly as the other three went back to their conversation.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." She shrugged. "I got lost in my thoughts, I guess… This is all just a little surreal. Not only being out with you guys but being a teacher and being on my own… I probably sound silly," she said, shaking her head as she looked down at the table.

Will shook his head and placed his hand on top of hers. She tried to ignore the spark that traveled through her.

"It's not silly. I get it. You don't realize how fast everything is happening until it does. Your mind doesn't quite have a chance to catch up."

"Does it ever catch up?" she asked, relieved that someone understood.

"I don't know." He laughed, taking Rachel's drink from the waitress and setting it down in front of her. "But I've found that letting loose once in a while and not dwelling on it helps."

He gave her a pointed look and she nodded before lifting the drink to her lips and taking a sip. Now wasn't the time for her to overthink, especially when she wasn't sure how she ended up going down this path. She knew it probably had to do with Will but it was better left to analyze later.

Another drink in and Rachel was starting to feel more relaxed, taking part in the conversations, joking around and feeling more like herself.

"You know, I would love to hear you sing again," Shannon pushed gently. "The most talented singer McKinley has ever seen," she said, telling her husband and Chris.

Rachel blushed lightly. "It has been awhile," she admitted before agreeing to sing.

Chris moved out of the booth and Rachel made her way to the line for the stage; Will watched her wistfully. Sometimes he could hardly believe it was the same Rachel he knew years ago. She had changed a lot but she still had the spark that made her a star.

She was even more beautiful too. Will, of course, was still reeling from his divorce but enjoyed the butterflies he got around the young brunette. It had been a long time since he felt them. He knew that they were over but he couldn't help the wishful thinking that maybe they could find their way back to each other. He was sure, though, that she wouldn't feel the same. After all, he was older now – a few years from 40 – and she probably had many prospects her own age.

He turned back to Shannon at her prompting and he continued their conversation until an unmistakable voice filled the room. They ceased talking and watched as Rachel began her song. It was a song Will remembered well.

_A Thousand Years…_ She sang it during her senior prom; she sang it just to him then. It was confusing. Why would she choose that song with him there? It had to hold the same importance to her, and what did that mean?

Rachel didn't know what she was doing when it came time to choose a song; she actually blanked. This was the only one she could think of but it was rather fitting. Everything with Will had been slightly awkward since she found herself in his life again. She didn't want that. She wanted him to know that she wanted friendship, not to hold onto the past or lose him again. As she looked over at him, she hoped he understood.

As she finished a couple of minutes later, she took in the applause – something she had greatly missed – and didn't move from the stage. She smiled and decided to take a chance.

"Before I go, I would like to sing one more song," she said into the mic, giggling at the cheers. "But I can't do it alone. There is a very special person in here tonight that has been a great… friend to me over the years. We recently reconnected and I would like to renew our friendship with a duet."

She sent a soft smile his way, raising her eyebrows in question. "So, Will Schuester, will you join me?" she asked.

Shannon and her husband cheered at the suggestion, moving so that he could get out of the booth. She couldn't really tell what he was thinking; it was hard to even see him with the lights shining on stage. He stopped at the DJ and picked up a mic before joining her. That's when she saw the glint in his eyes, the small smile on his lips.

"I have the perfect song," he said into the mic but his eyes never left Rachel's. "I don't know if it's the right song for a place like this but we sang this song together many years ago, and in the spirit of renewing our friendship, I think it's the perfect song."

He looked back to the DJ and nodded. Even before the music started, Rachel knew what it would be. It was the first song they ever sang together and one that was still very important to her even after everything.

He looked nervous as he started singing the familiar first verse of _Endless Love_. She didn't blame him. She had a lot of questions going through her mind. The song had a certain connotation but that they were even singing together made her smile. Maybe they really could be friends, maybe this was a start.

She joined in when it was her turn. The lyrics of the song more relevant than the first time they sang it. He _was_ her first love. He meant everything to her and she knew that love for him would never go away completely, even if she had moved on, even if they both had.

More than anything, she loved singing with him again. His incredible voice filled her ears. She didn't stop looking at him as they sang. She almost forgot that they had an audience.

When the song came to a close, Will started to feel just the way he did so many years ago. The emotions all came flooding back and all the love he still held for her came to the surface. Her smile lit up her face. He was enthralled by her and part of him wondered if there still might be a chance for them. He desperately wanted there to be a chance.

She took his hand as she walked past, leading him off the stage to cheers and applause. They turned in their mics before she led him up to the bar for another drink.

"We still sound pretty great together, don't we?" she asked softly, as they waited.

"Even better than I remember," he told her honestly.

"I'm really glad you asked me to come out tonight... I've been so nervous about seeing you ever since I moved here," she confessed, pushing some hair behind her ear. Will had to try as hard as he could to not reach out and place his hand against her cheek.

"I was so worried you would hate me and I didn't know if I could handle it," she continued. "At the same time, I didn't know how I would handle seeing you with Emma."

Her words told him a lot, though maybe he was reading too much into it. But, with every word she spoke, he grew more and more certain that there was something between them still. Those feelings weren't gone completely. It wasn't just him, and for the first time in a long while, Will felt happy and optimistic about what might be around the corner.

"I could never hate you," he told her honestly. Truth be told, what happened five years ago should probably be discussed at some point but not tonight. "You mean too much to me," he admitted, giving her a soft smile.

"And I really missed your voice," he finished. He took the drinks from the bartender, handing Rachel hers, and led them back to the booth.

Shannon and her husband had moved to the center, so Will slid in next to them, letting Rachel sit on the outside.

"You guys sounded great together but that was an interesting song to choose," Shannon said as the others agreed, leading Rachel to launch into an animated tale about the week she had a school girl crush on hem.

Everyone was laughing at the story when Will noticed Rachel's phone lighting up. He reached over to grab it from in front of Shannon to hand to Rachel. He couldn't help but notice the message displayed.

_**I miss you and love you. Be sure to call later. You won't regret it. ;)**_

"Who's Jason?" Will asked, as he handed her the phone. The confusion was clear on his face.

He knew who it must be, what the message meant. He didn't even realize that he interrupted the story. Part of him just hoped it wouldn't be who he thought it was.

Rachel looked at him a moment before quickly snatching the phone from his hand. He watched her look down at the message and bit her lip.

"My boyfriend," she said softly, not looking up at him.

Will suddenly felt like it was five years ago. Within seconds, he felt very raw. The wound from their break up felt like it was ripped open. He didn't have any reason to be upset; after all, they weren't anything more than friends, maybe.

But he thought that maybe it was more, maybe he might leave here tonight with the girl he loved. Since he had picked her up, he hadn't thought much at all about Emma, he hadn't thought about what was missing from his life or the dull ache in his chest that never went away. He hadn't thought about any of it because she was there.

"Oh, you have a boyfriend?" Shannon asked, intrigued by the new information.

Rachel glanced at Will before nodding. "Yeah, we've been dating since sophomore year."

"Sophomore year?" Will couldn't compete with that. He and Rachel were together for less than six months. He had been stupid to think that what they had would be as important to her as it was to him. He was probably just a distant memory to her.

"Uh, yeah," she said with a soft smile crossing her face. "It's been a long time."

She wouldn't make eye contact and he looked away, inwardly cringing as he saw the look from Shannon. She had picked up on the tension that suddenly filled the booth. _Great,_ he thought. He'd have to come up with some reason for his behavior, for his reaction to the fact that his _former student_ had a boyfriend.

The conversation became stilted after that. Shannon and her husband tried to keep it flowing, even getting up to sing karaoke as well. Will watched Rachel as she watched Steve and Shannon singing. She looked upset and uncomfortable. He hated that he ruined what was turning out to be a wonderful night.

It didn't take the group too long to decide to end the night. Rachel said her goodbyes to everyone before following Will silently out to his car.

Once inside, he looked over at her. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I don't know why I reacted that way. It wasn't my place."

He was grateful with Rachel finally looked at him, shaking her head slightly.

"I meant what I said tonight," she started quietly, no anger in her voice. "I really would like for us to be friend. I had a lot of fun with you on that stage tonight and I've missed you."

Will sighed, feeling a little better. It hadn't been anything he was hoping for but he really couldn't imagine his life without her anymore. He had dealt with that the last five years and now that he had her back, he wasn't going to lose her.

"I did too," he told her. It was the first night he had felt so happy since everything with Emma.

"Do you think we could do that?" she continued, "Be friends, spend time together the way friends do?" she asked. "Even if I do have a boyfriend."

"We can do that," Will said confidently. "I just want you to be happy, Rach… Does he make you happy?"

She smiled over at him and nodded. "He makes me happy," she confirmed.

When he pulled in front of her apartment building, he watched Rachel pause with her hand on the door handle, and looked back at him.

"In the spirit of being friends, could we do something on Saturday?" he asked before she could speak, hoping to see her again.

Rachel bit her lip and shrugged lightly. "I don't know… I mean, I can't really go out again until I get my apartment in order. It's been too long and it's starting to drive me crazy." She laughed. She did want to see him again but she couldn't put unpacking off anymore. "But… maybe you could come over? We can put on a movie and you can watch me finish unpacking?" she suggested. "I know it sounds super boring."

"No, no," he stopped her. He just wanted to see her; he would take anything. "That actually sounds great. It will give us a chance to get to know each other again."

He was glad to see her smile wide at that.

"Great! I'll see you around 7:00? We can order a pizza," she said before leaning over and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "I'll see you then," she said, pulling back and quickly getting out of the car.

He watched her walk into the building and just sat there for several moments. He had been through a whole range of emotions that night. Maybe, though, it was better this way. He really wasn't ready for a relationship but having Rachel as a friend would mean so much to him; it may be exactly what he needed.

o0O0o

A few days later, Will was sitting on Rachel's couch as she sat on the floor surrounded by boxes. She ate a slice of her pizza and looked over at him doing the same. _RENT_ was playing on the TV screen but neither of them had really been paying attention.

"Thanks for inviting me over," Will said, a smile on his face.

Rachel just laughed. "Please, I'm sure you have much better offers on a Saturday night. You're still young, and now you're single. I'm surprised you're not out living it up," she teased.

Will laughed at her characterization, and Rachel felt proud; she could tell that he had been down all night and she was glad to see a smile on his face.

"Nah, you know that's never been my scene… but seriously, I'm glad I'm here."

"But I'm just unpacking," she said amused. "Not exactly fun and games."

"I wish you'd let me help," he pointed out for the fifth time that night.

"No, I told you I just wanted the company. This is my own mess and I've been putting it off for too long," she told him, finishing up her pizza. She placed the plate down on the coffee table and wiped off her hands on the napkin in her lap.

"Is everything okay, Will?" she asked, needing to know what was bothering him. "Don't get me wrong; you've been excellent company but you seem down."

Will sighed sadly, leading Rachel to frown. "I'll be okay," he started. "It's just, even if it was the right thing, I'm still having a hard time with the divorce. It's hard to go from sharing your life with someone to not at all. It's hard to go back to being along… Emma and I had a few really great years together and you can't just stop loving someone," he paused, looking over at her, "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear all that."

"Of course I do," Rachel protested, shaking her head. "Will, the last five years I have hoped, every day, that you were happy. I'm sorry that this marriage didn't work out for you. You deserve to be happy."

"I'm happy spending time with you now," he admitted. Part of him realized just having this made him happier than he had been in years.

He gave her a smile and she returned it. "So, tell me about Jason," he asked.

"Are you sure?" She seemed weary and Will hated that she was worried about hurting him by just sharing her life.

"I'm very sure. We're friends and I want to know about your life. After all, I just told you about mine."

It would be hard to hear but something he was going to have to get used to, especially if he wanted to be part of her life. And he wanted that desperately. He felt so much better around her.

Rachel seemed to study him a moment before nodding.

"Well, he's really great," she started. "We met in one of our acting classes sophomore year. We were partnered up for our first scene and we just really hit it off. He's nice and talented and funny… He reminded me of you in a lot of ways," she said with a soft smile. "And he was the first guy since you and I broke up that really made me happy. There were a couple of guys here and there but I just couldn't be myself around them, not the way I can be with you and not the way I am with Jason."

Will gave her a genuine smile; it hurt him a little to hear that someone had replaced him but at the same time, he was glad that she found someone who made her happy. As long as she had that, he could get over any of the hurt or sadness. After all, he moved on too.

"As long as he makes you smile, I'm happy for you Rachel," he said softly. "That's all I ever wanted for you."

He needed to say more, tell her how broken he was when she broke up with him and how he didn't understand why it ended the way it did but he didn't want to bring them down tonight. He was enjoying the way they could just talk to each other.

"Thank you, Will. It means a lot to have you say that." Her voice was soft and he could only smile in return.

He picked up his beer, watching Rachel a moment. His eyes returned to the TV as she got up to grab another box.

As the movie came to an end, Will let off a soft sigh, knowing it wouldn't make sense for him to hang around much longer. He wasn't looking forward to going home to his empty apartment and the quiet that would lead to more dwelling.

He watched Rachel a moment as she pulled out some clothes from a box, re-folding them carefully and laying them in piles.

"I should go," she said softly. He looked at her before standing from the couch. He grabbed his wallet and keys from the coffee table.

Rachel smiled from her place on the floor but moved to stand.

"No, don't get up. It's okay," Will told her.

She nodded. "Thanks for coming over. I bet you had a lot of fun watching me unpack," she joked.

Will shook his head. "It was good," he assured. "I've missed this."

Rachel gave him a confused look and he elaborated. "Hanging out with you, talking." Quieter: "Our friendship."

She nodded, sighing softly. "I've missed it too," she told him with a small shrug.

They shared a smile as Will moved closer. He leaned down, intending to kiss her on top of the head as a goodbye but as he did, Rachel looked up at him and their lips connected instead.

He felt Rachel's soft gasp but before Will could pull back, her lips moved against his. They soon fell into a deeper kiss and Will knelt on the floor, his hand moving to Rachel's waist.

He didn't realize just how much he missed this connection with her. This moment proved to him that he had never gotten over the small brunette in his arms and he didn't want to.

With gentle pressure, Will pushed Rachel to lie back on the floor. Things grew heated between them quickly, and he felt Rachel's hand on the back of his neck as he pressed his body to hers.

"Will," she eventually whispered between kisses, though Will didn't hear the subtext at first. His focus was only on this long-awaited reunion.

"Will, stop," she repeated, turning her face away. Her eyes closed and he immediately did as she asked, looking down at her. He tried to make eye contact, meeting to know he wasn't the only one feeling everything that was between them.

"I have a boyfriend," she whispered, her voice wavering as her eyes opened.

Will sat back on his knees. "I know," he said softly, watching as she still lay there. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She shook her head and slowly sat up. "I'm sorry too," she said, looking down at her lap for several moments. The silence was deafening. "Do you think we're going to be able to do this?" she asked finally.

"Do what?" he responded, though he already knew what her question was going to be.

"You know… the whole 'just friends' thing?"

He thought about it for a moment, sighing softly. He reached out and brushed some hair out of her eyes before placing his hand against her cheek, gently forcing her to look at him. He didn't like the sadness in her eyes and he had been putting it there a lot lately.

"I hope so," he said finally, meaning it more than anything. "Because I could really use my best friend right now."

She smiled at that and he returned it. "Me too," she said, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Will."

They shared a look before he dropped his hand. "Goodnight, Rach," he returned before standing. "I'll talk to you soon."

She nodded and he made his way out of her apartment, forcing himself not to look back. He leaned against the door once it shut. He didn't know how he was going to do this. It was clear to him that he was just as in love with her as he was many years ago. Nothing with Emma had changed that but he knew it wasn't going to happen. Rachel was happy with this Jason; he wouldn't get in the way of that again. He had to make this work with Rachel so that he could keep her in his life.

As he walked away from her apartment, down to his car, Will started to think of a plan to make sure he wouldn't lose Rachel again. He needed her, even if just as a friend.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review. :)_


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